U.S Steel secret deal with Ottawa to get speedy court of appeal hearing

A Court of Appeals judge said Monday that the appeal to unseal the 2011 "secret deal" between the federal government and U.S. Steel will be heard on Nov. 19 — an expedited timeline related to all that's going on in the unfolding bankruptcy restructuring for U.S. Steel Canada. 

• Court to reconsider opening 'secret deal' between feds, U.S. Steel
• Feds could sue over U.S. Steel pension benefits: Industry minister

Meanwhile, at Queen's Park, the Ontario NDP called for the government to unseal the deal.

Hamilton East MPP Paul Miller called on Premier Kathleen Wynne on Monday to urge federal Liberal leader Justin Trudeau to help "protect U.S. Steel pensioners" and to open the secret agreement. 

"U.S. Steel has a towering moral debt to its workers and pensioners," said Miller, who represents Hamilton East-Stoney Creek. "Will the premier use her influence ... to ensure that these moral debts will in the future be legal debts?"

Retired steelworkers and the city of Hamilton filed an appeal to open the deal struck in 2011, in which the feds dropped a lawsuit against the American steel manufacturer even after it had broken promises to manufacture steel in Canada.

That deal has been secret, its terms concealed from even pensioners and the city of Hamilton, but lawyers for the pensioners have argued that much in the ongoing negotiations hinges on it.

Ontario Superior Court Judge Herman Wilton-Siegel ruled in May that while he thought the terms of the deal would have bearing on the bankruptcy case, he didn't have the power to unseal the document. 

The steelworkers and the city are appealing that decision.