Members of Parliament criticized Stellantis on Tuesday for not attending a committee hearing regarding the federal government’s funding deals with the global automaker. Vince Gasparro, the Liberal MP for Eglinton—Lawrence, expressed frustration over Stellantis’ absence, calling it unacceptable. A company executive, Teresa Piruzza, was expected to participate in the House of Commons’ government operations and estimates committee meeting but did not appear, citing technical issues that were not promptly resolved.
Stellantis stated that they were prepared to attend the committee meeting remotely but encountered IT problems preventing Piruzza from joining as planned. Despite assistance from the committee’s IT team, the issue persisted. Kelly McCauley, the Conservative MP for Edmonton West, found it perplexing that Stellantis did not engage in the discussion.
During the hearing, questions were raised about Stellantis’ decision to move production of a Jeep model from its Brampton plant to the U.S., leading to job uncertainties for workers. The committee sought unredacted copies of federal contracts related to the Brampton facility, receiving redacted documents that sparked frustration among members. Stellantis had signed a Strategic Innovation Fund deal in 2022 worth up to $529 million for plant upgrades in Ontario.
MPs debated the redactions in the contracts, with concerns over inconsistencies and the protection of commercially sensitive information. Philip Jennings, deputy minister at the federal industry department, defended the redactions, stating they were necessary to safeguard business interests. The committee unanimously agreed to invite Stellantis to the next meeting, setting a deadline for their appearance.