Conservative MP Jamil Jivani sent a letter to the federal government Wednesday raising concerns about the lack of a labour minister in Prime Minister Mark Carney's cabinet at a time of economic friction with the United States.
Jivani, who represents Bowmanville—Oshawa North, said his region is facing significant challenges due to layoffs at the General Motors assembly plant in Oshawa, Ont., and shift cuts in an automobile sector that has been upended by U.S. President Donald Trump's 25 per cent duties on vehicle imports to the United States.
"With these local economic factors in mind, it is no surprise that many Canadians are concerned by Prime Minister Mark Carney's decision to exclude a minister of labour from the newly unveiled federal Liberal cabinet and relegate the labour portfolio to a junior position in government," Jivani wrote in the letter posted on social media Wednesday.
The minister of labour title disappeared in March when Carney appointed his first cabinet and changed Steve MacKinnon's title from minister of employment, workforce development and labour to minister of jobs and families.
On Tuesday, Carney moved Thunder Bay MP Patty Hajdu into that same role.
The prime minister also created a second cabinet tier of 10 secretaries of state — members of the Privy Council who are not full ministers and only attend cabinet meetings when they're relevant to their files. Carney appointed John Zerucelli as secretary of state for labour.
A spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office said secretaries of state work in collaboration with senior ministers and have access to the departments that report to them. The main difference between the two positions is that a secretary of state has a smaller staff, the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said both Hajdu and Zerucelli can oversee and address a major labour issue, such as a Canada Post strike.
On Wednesday morning, Hajdu said cabinet's mission is "to strengthen the Canadian economy and protect workers from the shock that's coming from the changing economic relationship with the United States."
"And that's a task the prime minister has given me, along with many other ministers, to ensure that we support workers no matter what comes," she said ahead of a cabinet meeting.
Carney said Tuesday that his cabinet — which includes 28 full ministers — will "reinforce bridges" across labour, business and civil society and advance nation-building investments.
The absence of a full minister of labour was noted by Laborers' International Union of North America Canadian director Joseph Mancinelli, who called it "a slap in the face."
In a post on social media Tuesday, Mancinelli said that "if the Canadian government wants respect from labourers, perhaps let’s start with a Minister of Labour in cabinet. Respect is earned."
The Canadian Union of Public Employees said in a news release that Carney's decision to eliminate the cabinet position for labour is "not just disappointing, but frankly insulting."
The union said the decision shows that workers "will matter even less than they did under the previous Liberal government."
"In this pivotal moment for our country amidst threats to our sovereignty, workers should come first — not as an afterthought," the news release said.
Bea Bruske, president of the Canadian Labour Congress, said her organization would have liked to see a "full-fledged" minister of labour in cabinet.
"It remains to be seen whether or not there's any less effectiveness in terms of getting the issues resolved, but we are at a critical juncture right now when it comes to jobs in general in Canada and the supports that workers need," Bruske said, adding that her organization will work to ensure labour issues are front and centre with the new government.
"I'm really hoping that the effectiveness is negligible in terms of the title."
Jivani's letter said Trump's tariffs on Canada's auto industry threaten the livelihoods of thousands of workers.
The Conservative MP called on the government to extend employment insurance for affected workers and invest in retraining programs.
Jivani also called for policies to maintain production at the General Motors Oshawa plant for the domestic market and to encourage businesses and consumers to buy Canadian vehicles, through measures like tax cuts on Canadian-made cars.
Stephanie Ross, an associate professor in the school of labour studies at McMaster University, said the absence of a labour minister suggests this government places less emphasis "on relationships with the labour movement" than the previous government.
"Jobs and labour are not exactly the same," Ross said, adding that the labour minister tends to engage with industrial and labour relations. "I think that it is troubling. I don't think it's a good sign."
Nathan Prier, president of the Canadian Association of Professional Employees, said eliminating the ministerial position is a "very foreboding sign."
"With the kind of anti-worker policy preferences of the last government, we're really hoping that we can turn the page on that if they're going to avoid major conflict," Prier said. "If it's a sign that he is going to shut unions out just like the last government did, then he might pay for that down the road."
Honda Canada announced Tuesday that it was pausing a $15-billion electric vehicle investment in Ontario.
Minister of Industry Mélanie Joly told reporters Wednesday that her goal is to ensure the government is in "solution mode." Joly said she hoped to speak with the head of Honda by the end of the day.
Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
