Members of Parliament criticized Stellantis on Tuesday for not attending a committee hearing regarding the federal government’s funding agreements with the global automaker. Vince Gasparro, the Liberal MP for Eglinton—Lawrence, expressed frustration at Stellantis’s absence, deeming it unacceptable. Despite a scheduled videoconference appearance by company executive Teresa Piruzza, she did not attend the House of Commons’ government operations and estimates committee meeting due to purported technical issues. The committee chair, Kelly McCauley, and other members questioned the validity of Stellantis’s technical problems explanation, suggesting the company did not adequately address the issues.
Stellantis, in a statement to CBC Windsor, stated that they were prepared to participate remotely but encountered IT difficulties preventing Piruzza from joining as planned. Lou Ann Gosselin, a spokesperson for Stellantis, mentioned that despite successful testing with the committee’s IT team, Piruzza faced connectivity issues that were unresolved. The Conservatives, including McCauley, and other committee members expressed disbelief at Stellantis’s non-participation.
The committee session aimed to allow parliamentarians to query both the federal government and Stellantis about funding deals aiming to support the company’s operations in Canada and preserve unionized jobs in Ontario. Recent developments, such as Stellantis relocating Jeep production from Brampton, Ont., to the U.S., have raised concerns among officials about job security and contract compliance. The committee requested unredacted copies of federal contracts related to the Brampton facility, which they received but found redacted sections controversial.
Senior officials cited confidentiality provisions as reasons for redactions in the contracts to safeguard commercially sensitive information. MPs highlighted discrepancies between the redacted contract and a similar agreement for the NextStar Energy battery plant. The committee unanimously passed a motion to invite Stellantis for an hour-long appearance by next Thursday, with the option to issue a summons if the company fails to comply by December 9.