Conservative MP says Carney should appoint a labour minister and pay more than 'lip service' to workers

OTTAWA — A Conservative MP is calling on the federal government to dedicate a full cabinet position to the issue of labour, saying Prime Minister Mark Carney must pay more than “lip service” to workers in his region affected by General Motors’ planned shift cuts. 

Jamil Jivani, the recently reelected MP for Bowmanville—Oshawa North, released a letter through his office on Wednesday, the day after Carney unveiled his cabinet.

Of the 38 cabinet positions, 10 were designated as secretaries of state who will not attend every cabinet meeting and are assigned to specific issues.

Labour was one of the issues assigned to one of these more junior positions. Former prime minister Justin Trudeau’s government had labour as a full cabinet post.

On Tuesday, Carney named John Zerucelli, the newly elected Liberal MP for Etobicoke North, as a secretary of state to labour.

In his public letter, Jivani argues that unions and businesses in his region of Durham, which forms part of the Greater Toronto Area, are “facing serious economic challenges” after General Motors announced it would be cutting back on shifts at its Oshawa plant this fall, with rotating layoffs starting in June, according to the local union.

The local union has warned that hundreds of jobs remain at risk.

“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 said.

He points to comments made by the Canadian director of LiUNA, which represents more than 160,000 union members in fields like construction.

Joseph Mancinelli said on X that Carney’s decision to exclude a labour minister from his cabinet was a “slap in the face to our members.”

“If the Canadian government wants respect from labourers, perhaps let’s start with a Minister of Labour in cabinet,” Mancinelli wrote.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has focused his party on building support among workers and union members, with Conservatives receiving at least 12 union endorsements in the April 28 federal election and capturing seats in areas affected by U.S. tariffs like southern Ontario

Poilievre, who lost his own seat in Parliament and now plans to run in a byelection in rural Alberta, has said Conservatives are prepared to work with the minority Liberals in certain areas, such as when it comes to negotiating with the U.S. “if the government does a good job.”

He nonetheless slammed Carney’s cabinet as being similar to Trudeau’s, with numerous Trudeau-era ministers in top positions.

In his letter on Wednesday, Jivani said that “Carney must do more than pay lip service to the concerns of Durham Region’s labour unions, businesses, and industry leaders.”

He calls on the federal government to take several steps, including reinstating labour as a cabinet position and looking for ways the federal government can help maintain General Motors’ production and  incentivize consumers to buy more Canadian-made vehicles.

“Canadians are hopeful that Prime Minister Carney will negotiate a deal with Canada’s auto sector’s best interests in mind,” Jivani wrote.

“In the meantime, I am asking for appropriate actions to be taken to mitigate the economic damage of the current economic instability.”

Heading into the government’s first cabinet meeting Wednesday, newly appointed Industry Minister Melanie Joly said she has already been in contact with the CEOs of General Motors, Ford and Stellantis to discuss the trade war with U.S. President Donald Trump by the end of the week.

The president has hit countries, including Canada, with tariffs on auto parts and vehicles, save for ones compliant with the free trade agreement between Canada, the U.S. and Mexico. Canada is also subject to 25 per cent U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum.

“My message to the workers in the auto sector is we’re there for you. We know that there’s anxiety, we know you’re concerned about losing shifts, we know your concerns about losing your jobs and we will always fight for your jobs.”

NDP MP Leah Gazan also took issue with Carney not naming a labour minister to his cabinet, calling on him to do so in a letter released Tuesday.

She accused the prime minister of embracing a non-inclusionary and anti-labour stance in his cabinet appointments.

National Post
staylor@postmedia.com

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