What you need to know about the EV Battery Plant

July 2024 Windsor Star article

I would like to begin by saying, I am passionate about attracting new businesses to provide  employment to thousands in the riding of Windsor Tecumseh Lakeshore.  It will also benefit our economic growth.  We are proud to say that we were once labeled the Automotive capital in Windsor Essex.   The Automotive Industry is one of the largest employers  but has seen a steady decline since 2017.  And it is a domino effect for suppliers when a company does not succeed as they experience lay offs or go bankrupt.  We have the tier 1 suppliers (such as Magna) and tier 2 and 3 suppliers who are affected when our Auto sales decrease.  There are now only eight assembly plants left in Canada versus 14 in 1997. The industry employs approximately 45,000 people versus 62,000 in 1998.  All passenger vehicles made in Canada are assembled in Ontario. 85% of vehicles manufactured in Canada are exported, mostly to the US. The industry is capital intensive, cyclical, highly regulated and competitive.  So it is VITAL that this plant succeeds, and that we know just how many jobs there will be for our local community.  It is the biggest blood transfusion we need for our local economy and job market.

As an applicant to be the next Candidate for Windsor Tecumseh Lakeshore,  I made it a priority to consult with Senior Automotive consultants and auto executives to create a team that can advise me about the issues their companies and employees face.  Apart from housing, jobs are my biggest priority.  It is also  imperative that when we attract new businesses to Windsor Essex, that we have  full transparency with our Government that keeps the taxpayers informed about the negotiations they made and what the contract states.  Justin Trudeau and Irek Kusmierczyk have never let us the taxpayer, have access to view the contract between us the taxpayers and The NextStar corporation. For all we know, in the unhappy event that this plant should fail, NextStar and its partners get to walk away scott free, while we the taxpayers are left to pick up the tab. Current liberal MP Irek Kusmierczk refuses to be transparent and share the deal with us. He would rather have his picture taken at The Battery Plant and claim the kudos of conceiving the whole project.

When you consider that taxpayers dollars are being used to build new factories with new technology and billions of our dollars are at stake we need to be confident that our Government has negotiated to our benefit.   As your next MP for Windsor Tecumseh Lakeshore I have good business and negotiating experience.  It is crucial in making sure that we reap the rewards for attracting them to our area.  Not only in terms of growth and prosperity for our community, but also for the job security for our people instead of imported foreign workers. We have a lot of local skilled trades workers, tool makers and machinists who are seeking work. I possess  the strong qualities and financial expertise to be the guardian, shield and defender of our communities and workers best interests, when in consultation with companies who seek our taxpayers dollars to operate in our community. My last name is Green, I advocate for a Green environment, but I am not Green by nature in terms of my negotiating skills.

We have over $15 billion of our dollars invested in this plant, so it is not only vitally  important for any politician to be a cheerleader for it but also to be an advocate for its success and make sure that our local workforce gets the jobs.  But the latest headlines from AM800 say different:

Stellantis downplays foreign workers issue, but Kusmierczyk says it’s been discussed with NextStar

According to an AM800 interview:

In the letter to Justin Trudeau CBTU members say they’ve had several “fruitless” meetings with both Stellantis and LG to secure work they say their members can perform.

CBTU is made up of 12 skilled trades unions, including painters, carpenters, plumbers, Teamsters, elevator and rail operators to name a few.

In a statement to CTV News, CBTU Executive Director Sean Strickland says they have 1,600 workers at the factory on Windsor’s east end but they also have 180 Essex-Kent millwrights and ironworkers who are currently unemployed and available to do the work.

Windsor-Tecumseh MP Irek Kusmierczyk (Liberal Party) is calling it growing pains. He is reported as saying:  Kusmierczyk says it’s been discussed with NextStar.  You have to ask yourself, why is it only Pierre Poilievre who is asking what did the contract say. This is why the contract must be made public knowledge.  There was so much excitement about the possibility of 2,500 new jobs for Windsor Essex, but how many will there be in reality?  And how many will be permanent jobs for Canadian workers

I have included the letter that was sent to local trades workers by the CBTU (Canada’s Building Trades Unions)who accuses NexStar EV Battery Plant of not hiring enough Canadians who are qualified to do certain jobs.

 

CTV REPORTS: ‘A slap in the face’: Foreign workers still building NextStar battery plant in Windsor: CBTU

In a statement to CTV News, CBTU Executive Director Sean Strickland says they have 1,600 workers at the factory on Windsor’s east end but they also have 180 Essex-Kent millwrights and ironwokers who are currently unemployed and available to do the work.

“This has never been a case of ‘knowledge transfer’ or ‘specialized knowledge’,” the CBTU letter reads. “This is the brazen displacement of Canadian workers in favour of international workers, by major international corporations thumbing their noses at both the Government of Canada, taxpayers, and our skilled trades workers.”

I do not believe that Windsor-Tecumseh MP Irek Kusmierczyk (Liberal Party) has been transparent enough and I do not personally believe that there will be this many jobs at the factory.  And this has been echoed by my panel of professional auto industry advisors who predict 3 shifts of 500 persons per shift.  This puts the taxpayer’s investment to jobs created ratio at a staggering $10 million per job.  The Non-Partisan PBO (Parliamentary Budget Office) already tells us that it will be 20 years before this plant makes a profit.  

My promise, if selected as the next Conservative Candidate for Windsor Tecumseh Lakeshore  will include better communication.  Better negotiations and more transparency

Many of my supporters have told me they have sent numerous emails to Irek Kusmierczyk and have never received a reply. Contacting him by phone to ask genuine questions or voice their concerns in many cases have resulted in their number being blocked.  I will make it the highest priority to keep in touch with my constituents.  My job will be to make sure that my electoral riding will be well represented in Ottawa, by me who will have the best interests and prosperity of this community at the forefront of all my thoughts. Together we will reestablish a pride in our city, our province, our nation and its flag. Rebuilding also confidence in our historic institutions and our nation’s leadership.

What you need to do today to select me as your official CPC candidate: :

1. Check out the map below of the new Electoral boundaries to see if you are in The Windsor-Tecumseh-Lakeshore Electoral Riding.
2. Click on join the Conservative party button below.  You MUST be a Conservative member to submit a ballot to vote for me at the selection meeting to be the official candidate for Windsor Tecumseh Lakeshore.  It only costs $15.00 for a membership
3. Contact me for more information on how you can elect me as the official candidate for Windsor Tecumseh Lakeshore
4. If you would like to be kept abreast of the date of the selection candidate meeting.  Send me an email.  The importance of this meeting, is YOU get to choose who
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