MP raises concerns over meetings between feds, Vale Inco

According to Nickel Belt MP Claude Gravelle, there have been 25 meetings betwen Vale Inco and federal government representatives in the past year.

Gravelle said he was disturbed when he found this out through the access to information act, because he thinks the federal government may be refusing to act on the nine-month-old strike due to these talks.

"Ever since we've been raising this issue in the House (of Commons), the answer I've been getting from the federal government is that this is a provincial issue," Gravelle said. "The federal government has been meeting with Vale Inco...so what are they talking about?"

Vale Inco representatives met five times with senior bureaucrats, six times with assistant deputy ministers, 11 times with chiefs of staff, once with the Prime Minister's Office, and once each with the Minister of Labour and the Minister of Industry, Gravelle said.

Out of the 25 meetings, Gravelle said he believed 16 had been held since the July 13 start of the strike between workers represented by United Steelworkers 6500 and Vale Inco.

He noted he was concerned about the meeting that he said happened between Vale Inco representatives with the Prime Minister's Office the day after the strike began.

"They're not talking about the weather in Sudbury," Gravelle said. "So what are they talking about?"

Gravelle said he has filed an access to information request for the meeting notes so he can find out what exactly was discussed, but added it will be a while before he receives the information.

Gravelle, who also acts as the NDP's mines critic, raised the issue in the House of Commons on April 15.

According to Gravelle, Prime Minister Stephen Harper avoided answering the question, instead noting that Vale Inco's temporary shut downs of operations in Canada were similar to shut downs done in other countries, meaning the company had not violated the Canada Investment Act.

The act requires foreign companies to prove its actions will not be detrimental to Canada. Both Companhia Vale do Rio Doce and Xstrata PLC had to prove purchases of Inco and Falconbridge respectively would not be detrimental to Canadians.

"My biggest concern, right from the start, was what was the agreement that the government signed with Vale Inco and Xstrata when these companies were purchased," Gravelle explained.

"And is that why they're meeting, because they're worried about the government releasing the agreement? I'm concerned."

Gravelle also raised his concerns about the use of replacement workers during the strike. Vale Inco resumed partial production at its Copper Cliff Smelter in January. It staffed the smelter with workers who are not currently on strike.

Vale Inco representative Steve Ball previously stated the company intends to restart operations at Creighton and Coleman mines to continue to feed the smelter operations.

Gravelle's concern is that many of the replacement workers being employed are not Canadian. He said he had "reliable sources" telling him that some of the workers are from the United States.

Cory McPhee, vice president of corporate affairs for Vale Inco, said he couldn't confirm Gravelle's concern. He said he was unaware if some of the workers were not Canadian, but also said he could not confirm all workers were Canadian.

"we're entering into an agreement with mining contractors, and they're securing the resources for us," McPhee said. "I really have no idea that there's anybody from outside of Canada. That's certainly something that's news to me."