Carney government criticized over Stellantis plant sale as Joly threatens legal action

The Carney government's under fire for not doing enough to prevent the sale of an Ontario auto plant during Donald Trump's trade war. We had one job during this trade war, one job, to protect the auto industry from Donald Trump and not to allow an auto plant to fall. And yet here we are. The plant has been sold. The union met with the government, province and Stellantis. The Brampton plant has been idle since 2023. More than 2,000 jobs are on the line. Our members are feeling betrayed, they're angry, they're distressed and there's no change today on that. The industry minister says the government tried to find a solution for a year with Stellantis but has now terminated those talks. Stellantis is in breach of its contractual commitments. Ottawa gave Stellantis taxpayer money to retool the plant and says it came with strings attached. I was extremely clear. Stellantis is on the hook for hundreds of millions of dollars. To be frank, I'm fed up. Stellantis is selling the facility to Rochelle, a Canadian company trying to win a major contract to build the army's new light-armoured vehicles. The government's only allowing Canadian companies to compete. It's part of the Prime Minister's plan to rely less on the U.S. But he maintains the Stellantis sale is still a betrayal. Partial solution is a step. It is not a global solution. That is a betrayal. A source says the government was briefed on talks between Stellantis and Rochelle for months. Being informed or being aware of some aspects is not the same as Stellantis providing a global solution for those workers at the plant, which is their obligation. The Conservatives say the government betrayed Canadians. He looked those workers in the eyes and said that he was fighting for their jobs while he went behind their backs and helped set up a deal that sold them out. Asked how much money the government gave Stellantis and wants back, the industry minister wouldn't give an exact amount, only saying it's hundreds of millions of dollars and that Stellantis knows how much. The company tonight releasing a statement saying it will voluntarily return $24 million. Interesting. So, Ashley, what can actually happen now? Well, the union says that the sale has already happened. It just has to be finalized. So it is going ahead. But she said that both the federal and provincial government today committed to meeting with the global CEO of Stellantis to try and find some sort of solution. Jolie is demanding Canadians get their money back and is giving Stellantis 30 days to comply or says she's taking them to court. All right. Thank you. That is Ashley Burke in Ottawa tonight.