Flin Flon MLA criticizes Tories over Northern jobs lost

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This article was published 25/04/2018 (2959 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Pallister government was accused on Wednesday of “sitting on its hands” while jobs are disappearing in the North as Vale issued layoff notices to 169 hourly workers in Thompson.

Vale plans to shut down its nickel smelter and refinery on July 31, the date in which the layoff notices take effect.

“This is a massive blow to the people of Thompson and mining in the North,” Flin Flon NDP MLA Tom Lindsey said in the legislature. “This after at least 150 workers were laid off in the fall and there are more layoffs coming.”

After the shutdown takes place this summer, Vale will continue to operate its mine and mill.

Lindsey accused the Progressive Conservative government of being a spectator while mining jobs were being lost in the North.

“What’s missing from the whole picture is any visible interaction from this government in trying to mitigate those job losses,” he said after grilling Growth, Enterprise and Trade Minister Blaine Pedersen about the layoffs in the legislature.

Pedersen said the prospect of layoffs has been known for some time. He later pledged the province would work with Vale and the City of Thompson to “ensure there is support for those who are impacted,” but offered no specifics.

The Thompson Citizen reported that Vale is offering buyouts to an additional 109 employees. For every person who accepts a buyout, the company will rescind one layoff notice, the newspaper said.

Vale projects it will continue to employ 850 workers in Thompson in 2019.

Lindsey said there would have been more layoff notices issued but the United Steelworkers union had successfully negotiated training opportunities with the company so that dozens of workers could be redeployed.

He accused the province of failing to protect mining jobs and northern jobs in general.

Lindsey said the North is expected to lose between 1,500 to 2,000 jobs this year.

“We need action today to address the crisis and the first thing we need is a government that actually acknowledges it as such,” he said.

Pedersen told the legislature the government will shortly unveil a “mineral development protocol” that will involve northern First Nations who have “mining potential near them.”

“It’s involving both communities and the mining development companies and mining companies in working together co-operatively so that everybody knows what’s involved and there can be economic benefit for all of the North,” the minister said.

In a statement afterwards, Pedersen said mining companies have told the government they are optimistic about the potential for new mineral development in the North.

“Despite the fact the NDP did absolutely nothing when they were in government to prepare for the changes we are now seeing in the mining sector, our message to northern Manitobans is we are here to work with you to build a brighter future,” the statement said.

larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca