Brad Clark opponents say he's out of line in letter about U.S. Steel
Mayoral candidate Brad Clark wrote the prime minister and premier of Ontario about U.S. Steel this week, asking them to convene an “urgent working group.” But his two major mayoral opponents say he shouldn’t have done that.
Clark, a current councillor for Ward 9 in Stoney Creek, wrote to Stephen Harper and Kathleen Wynne this week, as well as numerous members of parliament, asking for a working group that includes all three levels of government.
U.S. Steel’s application for creditor protection “adds to the uncertainty faced by workers and pensioners,” said Clark, a former provincial minister of labour, in a statement.
“Having served as Ontario’s Labour Minister, I understand both the responsibility and challenges this application creates for all levels of government.”
But Coun. Brian McHattie, also a mayoral candidate, said Clark is acting as a “lone wolf.” Mayor Bob Bratina and Coun. Scott Duvall, a former steel union head and chair of the city’s steel committee, are leading the issue, he said.
“Those are the two leaders for council on that issue,” said McHattie, who sits on the steel committee. “Our job is to support them on the issue. It doesn’t make sense for a lone wolf to speak off on the side.”
Mayoral candidate Fred Eisenberger, who was mayor from 2006 to 2010, also thinks Hamilton should speak through the mayor and the steel committee.
“The mayor is the spokesperson,” he said. “The steel caucus has been working.”
All three cited jobs, local pensions and the hit to Hamilton’s tax base as reasons for concern. McHattie also listed the environment as a concern, “so we don’t pay for cleanup.”
If U.S. Steel did vacate its industrial area land, it could mean opportunity, Eisenberger said. The city could use the land in a useful way and “rebuild the city from the waterfront out.”
“I’m not happy this is happening, but it’s happening nonetheless,” he said. “It’s not something we can particularly control as a city.”
Clark also sent the letter to federal Labour Minister Kellie Leitch, provincial Minister of Labour Kevin Flynn, all five local MPs and Bratina.