Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, this new government has a strong mandate from Canadians to make sure that we are able to diversify trade, but while we do that, of course, we are going to reduce internal trade barriers by working with provinces and territories. I think that is important to note for Canadians watching.
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Mr. Speaker, it is important to note that we have a Minister of Transport and Internal Trade. I am not allowed to say her name, but I think it is important that as cabinet colleagues and MPs, we all work together to ensure that we are able to reduce barriers to grow internal trade throughout our country.
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to welcome the new member to the House, but I hope he studies which ministers do what, because as members know, I am the Minister of International Trade. My focus and mandate are to diversify trade to external markets.
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Mr. Speaker, what our government is doing is supporting industries and supporting workers. Just today I met with the agriculture industry, and they were very happy that we are opening up talks with partners like those in China. As a path forward, we are going to relaunch the JETC, the joint economic and trade commission, to ensure that we are able to—
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Mr. Speaker, I think it is important to note that these numbers are all available on the website. What we want to talk about today is workers and Canadian industries. That is what people at home are watching for. This is a time of crisis. Some 75% of our trade that goes to the U.S. is at risk, and that is why it is important that we open up new markets such as the Indo-Pacific region and the Europ…
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Mr. Speaker, thousands of jobs across this country are supported by trade, and it is very vital. We are a trading nation. That is why we have 15 trade agreements with over 50 countries around the world. We have access to 1.5 billion customers, whom we need to continue shipping good Canadian-made goods out to.
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Mr. Speaker, currently, about 3.3 million people are employed due to our exports. They are an important part of our economy. One in six Canadian jobs is supported by trade, and I think it is important, while we work on reducing internal trade barriers, that we ensure that export markets are opened up as well.
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Mr. Speaker, coming back to the heart of things, I think it is important that our workers and our industries are supported by their government, and that is exactly what we will be focused on. We will be building big things, working with proponents across Canada.
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Mr. Speaker, when we are talking about our defence strategy and what we just recently announced, I think energy plays a critical role in those conversations. We are going to see more of that at the G7. It is actually one of the pillars for talking about energy security, talking about critical minerals and what Canada has to offer.
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Mr. Speaker, we have products going out to different regions in the world. When we are talking about energy, I think we have a lot of potential. We just recently signed a deal on nuclear with Romania on the CANDU reactors. We are now in phase two. That is supporting hundreds of jobs. We have different types of energy supplies going out to different—
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Mr. Speaker, children's clothes, diapers, car seats, board games, prepared food, snacks, video games and children's toys will all cost 13% less tomorrow in Ontario. This is thanks to the tax break on GST that our Liberal government brought forward. While the Conservatives sat down and voted against tax savings for Canadian families, we understand that this time of year is hard on families. We want…
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Mr. Speaker, on Friday, the Prime Minister led a Canadian delegation to Florida to meet with President-elect Trump. They had a productive discussion on border and economic security, including the impacts the tariffs would have on both Canadian and American consumers. In 2018, it was this government that renegotiated NAFTA, which led to a record trade of $1.3 trillion just last year. As we have don…
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Mr. Speaker, the softwood lumber industry is very important to our government. We know it represents thousands of jobs, from British Columbia to Quebec and down to eastern Canada. We will always stand up for Canadian softwood lumber. We stood up for Canada when the U.S. imposed aluminum and steel tariffs on us. What did the Conservatives do? They asked us to capitulate and back down. We have a pro…
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Madam Speaker, our trade relationship with the U.S. is of utmost importance and it is a key priority for our government. What Canadians want to know is where the Conservatives were last night with their axe. They did not vote in favour of axing the tax. On this side of the House, Liberal MPs stood strong with Canadian families and voted to axe the GST for two months so Canadians can save up to 13%…
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Madam Speaker, it is this government that has a clear track record of working with the Trump administration. In 2016, we worked with it. In 2018, we renegotiated NAFTA when the Conservatives repeatedly asked us to capitulate. We will continue to stand up for Canadian jobs and Canadian workers. We will continue to be at the table with a team Canada approach, with premiers and with stakeholders acro…
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Mr. Speaker, the U.S. is a very important partner to our economy and our relationships with the rest of the world. The member talks about trade. We had $1.3 trillion of trade last year with the U.S., which is a record since we renegotiated NAFTA in 2018. We will continue to be at the table with a team Canada approach as we continue to protect Canadian businesses and workers.
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Mr. Speaker, we will always stand up for forestry workers and our lumber industry. We stood up for Canada when the U.S. imposed aluminum and steel tariffs on us. What did the Conservatives say? They urged us to back down and capitulate. When we renegotiated NAFTA back in 2018, we stood strong and protected Canada's economy while the Conservatives asked us to capitulate. We have a proven track reco…
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Mr. Speaker, the lumber industry is a very important industry to Canada. It provides support to thousands of families in B.C., Quebec, eastern Canada and all across our country. It is important that we continue to talk to industry, to consult with industry as we work through this, because we know that we want to continue to be there for industry, especially the softwood lumber industry, as its mem…
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Mr. Speaker, the U.S. and Mexico are very important trading partners to Canada. Our supply chains are intertwined. We need to continue to build up that resiliency, whether it is for our workers, our supply chains or our products. Of course, we will continue working with both parties, the U.S. and Mexico. However, as we have heard from the Prime Minister, there are concerns about Mexico being a bac…
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Mr. Speaker, it was our government that renegotiated NAFTA in 2018. It was our government that stood up when the Conservative Party of Canada said to capitulate, give in and give everything they want. We stood strong. We got the agreement, and last year, there was $1.3 trillion of trade between our two countries. It is the Liberal government that signed close to 15 free trade agreements that gave …
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Mr. Speaker, it is an immense privilege to stand before you today and speak to one of the most critical relations our nation has ever known, the enduring and dynamic partnership between Canada and the United States of America. Today, as we gather here in this great country, we are not just reflecting on the past. We are setting our sights firmly on a future where the Canada-U.S. relationship not o…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to be clear: We will always be there to protect Canadian workers and Canadian businesses. We have been there for Canadians before, when we renegotiated NAFTA. I remind the member opposite that it was the Conservatives who wanted us to capitulate during that time, but we stood strong. That is a testament to the facts: Canada-U.S. trade was at an all-time high last year of $1.3 t…
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Madam Speaker, respect for human rights, labour and the environment lies at the heart of our trade policies and our high-standard trade agreements. Canada's trade agreements prioritize Canadian values, focusing on workers' rights, environmental standards and opportunities for under-represented businesses like SMEs, women-owned businesses and indigenous enterprises. It is the current government tha…
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Madam Speaker, the member opposite and I sat on the trade committee together, and I enjoy working with him. I think it is important to note that CBSA has intercepted shipments; it has done due diligence. Of course there is always more to do and nothing is ever perfect. I think it is very important that in addition to shipment interceptions, we withdraw trade commissioner services that support busi…
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Madam Speaker, I had hoped to answer the question in French; I am working on my French. The member's question is an important one. When we talk about forced labour, something that has come up in our international trade committee from the Bloc member is the importance of the legislation. I asked the member at committee, as well as outside the committee, whether, if this was so important and such a …
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Madam Speaker, we are ready to get to work for Canadians. I hope, as I said before, the Conservatives end their delay tactics and follow the processes in place. It is not up to MPs to talk down the RCMP or the Auditor General. It is important that we follow the process brought forward.
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Madam Speaker, the hon. member mentioned private member's bills. Bill S-211, which was brought forward to the House, brought up the very important issue from my colleague from Scarborough—Guildwood about forced labour. The member has a very good point: With the Conservatives' teaming up with other opposition parties gumming up the House, we are not able to bring forward important private member bi…
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Madam Speaker, I do miss seeing the hon. member across the way at trade committee. It is very important that he mentions CORE and the mandate we have given it. I know that the ombudsperson has active investigations going on with companies that are operating around the world. Again, as I said, we expect Canadian enterprises and businesses that are operating anywhere in the world to make sure that t…
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Mr. Speaker, today, I want to take a moment to recognize the remarkable achievements of our athletes from the summer Paris 2024 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. We won an astounding 27 Olympic medals this year, making the Paris 2024 Olympic Games our best performing Olympics in history. This could not have been possible without the incredible efforts of our amazing athletes and teams, who have …
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Mr. Speaker, with regard to parts (i) to (vii), Invest in Canada undertook an extensive preliminary search to determine the amount of information that would fall within the scope of the question and the amount of time that would be required to prepare a comprehensive response. Invest in Canada concluded that producing and validating a comprehensive response to this question is not possible in the …
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Mr. Speaker, in response to parts (i) to (vi) of the question, Export Development Canada, or EDC, undertook an extensive preliminary search to determine the amount of information that would fall within the scope of the question and the amount of time that would be required to prepare a comprehensive response. EDC concluded that producing and validating a comprehensive response to this question is …
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Mr. Speaker, as you may be aware, the 2024 summer Olympics are next month in Paris. Our team Canada athletes are a beacon of inspiration for our country, and they bring us so much pride and unity. This year, I want to recognize some of our very talented athletes from Brampton who have shown excellence in sports while representing Canada, athletes like Michael Ciepiela, who competed in last year's …
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Mr. Speaker, that is a very important question. Of course we want to continue supporting our farmers. The Indo-Pacific strategy is a $2.3–billion investment, and part of that investment includes a new agriculture office that has now been opened in Manila, Philippines, to give farmers access to new and growing markets around the world. The Canada brand is very strong around the world, and farmers a…
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Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to rise in the House today to speak about our Liberal government's plan, through budget 2024, to support Canadians both now and for future generations. It is a budget that I know will help grow our economy, help young Canadians and bring meaningful investments to support so many families in my riding of Brampton East. Through budget 2024, our government is taking swift a…
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Mr. Speaker, I hope to reply in French one day; I am still learning French. In response to the member's very important question, of course there have to be many different options for housing, including co-op housing. I am sure members have seen that we have recently announced more funding for co-op housing initiatives. With respect to growing and giving more options to municipalities across Canada…
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Mr. Speaker, that is a very important question. Of course Ukraine is a very important ally and partner, and Canada has committed to always being there for Ukraine through many different ways, including humanitarian support, military support, resources and, of course, trade support. The member spoke about a recent vote for the modernized Canada-Ukraine free trade agreement, which the party opposite…
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Mr. Speaker, infrastructure helps enable building communities, and infrastructure helps enable building transit capacity, so Brampton MPs have come together and advocated for many different projects, like the Riverwalk project in the downtown Brampton core, which will help unlock flood-lands that are prone to flooding, in order to enable the building of more housing on that land. We have unlocked …
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honour of National Nursing Week to recognize and celebrate the incredible contribution of nurses, who are true heroes of our medical system. The theme of this year's National Nursing Week is “Changing Lives. Shaping Tomorrow.” This statement is certainly true. Nurses play a critical role in our health care system and in the future of our health. They are often the firs…
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Madam Speaker, I had the honour of attending the OECD ministerial meeting, where I met with key allies and stakeholders to discuss the importance of inclusive, resilient and sustainable trade, especially in this space of rising populism and protectionism. We know that promoting free trade and investments grows the economy and creates good jobs right across Canada. I would like to thank the member …
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Mr. Chair, I hope to answer the member in French one day. I am working on my French. The member opposite mentioned advocacy efforts. We take every opportunity and the Prime Minister takes every opportunity. Last year when President Biden visited Canada in March, the Prime Minister raised it with President Biden. At every opportunity, the trade minister brings this up, as do many ministers in cabin…
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Mr. Chair, I would like to thank my colleague from B.C. for his tireless advocacy on this very important topic and for his constituents. Of course, we will continue to advocate on behalf of Canadian exporters and producers, but really when we come back to this agreement that the Conservatives keep highlighting from the Harper era, lumber producers are still feeling the impacts of that. Absolutely,…
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Madam Chair, today we heard about this wonderful deal that was signed during the Harper era. It really hurt the industry and hurt jobs across the sector for seven straight years. It imposed an export tax on producers, from 5% to 15%. Does the member opposite think that is a fair approach? What does the member opposite think about what the Conservatives are doing in terms of protecting our environm…
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Madam Chair, supporting the softwood lumber industry through innovation and diversifying trade is one of our key priorities, but it is also to stand up for lumber industries and the workers in the industry. Therefore, we are advocating and will continue to advocate. The Prime Minister has raised this on many occasions. The minister of international trade has raised this on many occasions. We will …
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Madam Chair, as members know, the lumber industry supports thousands of jobs and communities across the country. We are working collectively to make sure that we are protecting our softwood lumber industry, but I would like to know why the Conservatives, including the member opposite, voted against funding to support the softwood lumber industry that our government put forward.
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Mr. Chair, that is a very important and very valid question. Recently, we launched our team Canada-U.S. engagement strategy, where we are doing just that. We are leading team Canada's efforts to engage with our counterparts in the U.S., whether through industry groups or on the government side. We want to make sure that we involve everyone in the House because it is a team Canada approach. We repr…
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Mr. Chair, I would like to thank the member opposite for that very important question. We have heard time and time again today the Conservatives highlighting the supposed deal that former prime minister Stephen Harper signed. It is easy to sign a deal when one is going to fold and capitulate on an industry. That is what the Conservatives urged us to do during the CUSMA negotiations, and that is wh…
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Mr. Chair, as the parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development, I am proud to participate in this vital take-note debate and to highlight our government's steadfast support of Canada's softwood lumber industry. We are here tonight because the softwood lumber dispute between Canada and the United States is a long-standing trade irritant i…
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Madam Chair, I have been listening to industry and hearing about the impacts of wildfires on the lumber industry. As we know, wildfires have destroyed thousands and thousands of acres of forest land. When we talk about supporting industry and innovation, the conversation should also be about climate change and how we can help mitigate its impacts on industries such as the lumber industry. What mor…
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Madam Speaker, the Canada-Africa Business Conference reaffirmed the incredible value of export diversification and growing trade across Africa for Canadian businesses. It was a great success, which I know will help in collaboration and growing our industries. While in Nairobi, I got to see first-hand why Canada is recognized among the leading aerospace industries in the world. Let us continue to b…
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Madam Speaker, I recently sat down with the Brampton Board of Trade, Bhive and the Brampton Economic Development team to discuss the important work our government is doing to promote trade and economic development. This is done through our lndo-Pacific strategy, CanExport, EDC and our Trade Commissioner Service, which provides support to Canadian businesses across our network of missions around th…
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