Lobby records show high-level meetings with government officials and Stellantis, Roshel ahead of sale announcement

Summary

• Industry Minister Melanie Joly's senior staff met with armoured vehicle maker Roshel in August, September, & October prior to the announcement of its purchase of the Stellantis Brampton plant.
• Prime Minister Mark Carney's senior global affairs adviser Matthew Hall met with Roshel CEO Roman Shimanov on Oct. 15.
• Federal records show the government held 10 high-level meetings with Stellantis in September, including sessions with Carney's deputy chief of staff, Joly, & her top aides.
• Carney publicly called the sale a "betrayal" but privately acknowledged the government was aware of some deal details while describing the outcome as a "partial solution."
• Government officials stated that Ottawa did not formally endorse Roshel's proposal & that expectations for Stellantis regarding worker obligations were not fully met.
• The proposed deal includes Stellantis paying pensions for eligible workers & repaying $24 million in federal retooling funds previously received.
• The Brampton plant has been idle since 2023, leaving over 2,200 workers on lay-off pay while about 60% of the workforce is retirement eligible.
• Roshel's CEO indicated a European carmaker, specifically Jaguar, expressed interest in leasing 25% of the facility if the purchase proceeds.
• Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre demanded details on the total taxpayer money at stake & accused Carney of contradicting himself regarding the sale.
• Minister Joly plans to meet with Unifor, Stellantis, & Ontario government representatives in Toronto to discuss the dispute & future operations.