Nickel Belt MPP France Gélinas said she "doesn't want to give any false hope" to striking Steelworkers Local 6500 members, but she is convinced her recent trip to Brazil will help to resolve the union's strike against Vale Inco.

Gélinas visited Brazil this week along with Steelworkers Canadian national president Ken Neumann, Steelworkers Local 6500 vice-president Rick Bertrand and Steelworkers Local 9508 president Darren Cove (who represents 120 striking workers in Voisey's Bay).

Vale S.A., the parent company of Vale Inco, is based in Brazil. About 3,500 workers are on strike against Vale Inco in Canada in Sudbury and Port Colborne, Ont. and in Voisey's Bay, Nfld.

The MPP said she was able to meet with many different Brazilian politicians during the trip and speak with them about the strikes.

She was not able to meet with Brazilian president Luiz Inacio da Silva in person, despite earlier statements saying she wished to do so, but she did speak with an aide who is his right-hand man, according to media reports.

"I am convinced that it will make a difference. It will make a difference to bring both parties to the table faster," she said, speaking to Northern Life from Brazil on Dec. 10, shortly before her flight back to Canada.

"The different government officials that I met don't like what's happening to the image of Brazil, not only in Sudbury, Ont., but also worldwide. The Steelworkers have taken their fight outside of Canada."

Gélinas said the government officials are also unhappy that Vale has invested $19 billion in its Sudbury operations since it bought Inco in 2006, but that investment hasn't shown any returns in the five months since Local 6500 has been on strike.

The MPP was also present at a meeting between the Steelworkers and Brazilian Senator Paulo Paim. The Steelworkers said Vale officials were supposed to be at the meeting, but failed to show up. Vale Inco spokesperson Steve Ball said Vale officials were never asked to go to the meeting in the first place.

"To me, that was really weird," said Gelinas. "Why weren't they (Vale officials) there?"

Gélinas said it was the provincial leader of the NDP, Andrea Horwath, who was originally invited by the Steelworkers to visit Brazil.

However, Horwath was unable to come, and Gélinas decided to go instead.

Because she didn't have the money to pay for the trip, the national Steelworkers office offered to pay for her economy-class plane ticket to Brazil and her accommodations.

Gélinas said she paid for all other expenses during the trip.

Sudbury MPP Rick Bartolucci sent out a press release Dec. 10 criticizing Gélinas for going to Brazil.

"Rather than represent her constituents in the Ontario Legislature, Nickel Belt MPP France Gelinas opted to miss a key vote on Ontario’s improved taxation system in favour of raising false hopes among local striking workers," the press release said.

"Workers paid for much of Gélinas’ expenses to go to Brazil to talk to Vale Inco executives – something that didn’t happen."

Bartolucci said if Gélinas had checked beforehand, she would have known that she couldn't meet with the president of Brazil, because he is currently out of the country.

"If Gélinas wants to go on a wild goose chase, she should do it on her own dime and on her own time," stated the press release.

"She should reimburse workers and apologize for creating false hope for a resolution that predictably, did not occur. In the meantime, while playing international diplomat, Gélinas missed 23 votes in the house."