Foreign Affairs Committee on Nov. 20th, 2025

[Cheryl Urban]

Thank you for your question.

I'll start by answering it, and then I'll ask my colleagues to add comments.

The education sector is very important. It represents a significant portion of our trade and our ties between countries.

Perhaps my colleague can give you some examples.

[Susan Steffen]

Thank you.

The Université de Québec à Chicoutimi has carried out projects in Africa together with our department, and they have paid off. Several examples of projects or initiatives may seem less structured from the outside, but from the inside, we have established priorities for each country in which we operate. In addition, if a project is proposed to us that corresponds to our priorities for this country, we look at whether we can fund it or not. From the outside, it may be perceived as a bit far-fetched, but that's how it's structured in our department.

I would also say that another part of our department is responsible for relationships with university bodies and colleges. Their job is to ensure that their international agenda aligns with the department's priorities.

[Mario Simard, Bloc, Jonquière—Hébertville—Pays-des-Bleuets, QC]

Thank you.

I'll continue along the same lines. I don't know if you saw the reports on the program Enquête, perhaps a month or two ago. We were talking about African smugglers who were supplying university titles illegally. The word seems to have been spread in Africa, that it was easier. We know that there is a very large French-speaking African diaspora in Quebec.

Are you doing any work to provide the right information? As part of your strategy, have you seen large migration movements—asylum seekers and students coming to Canada on fake invitations from universities? Is there anything you can do on your end to provide information to these people?

[The Chair, Liberal, Ahmed Hussen]

Could we have a very brief response, please? We are over time.

[Susan Steffen]

I think other departments are involved, so I won't speak on their behalf.

We are very aware of the problems that exist. We're a bit of a victim of our own success. Information has been shared through university fairs, which are set up on the ground as part of our missions overseas, and we provide information specifically to try to avoid that kind of situation.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ahmed Hussen]

Thank you.

We will go next to MP Ziad Aboultaif.

You have five minutes.

[Ziad Aboultaif, Conservative, Edmonton Manning, AB]

Thanks again, Mr. Chair.

In 2018, I visited Senegal, Benin and Nigeria with Minister Guilbeault. I know that in Benin both the Chinese and U.S. governments have a big presence, and I am glad to hear that we now have an office or embassy there.

In Nigeria I was told by our diplomatic mission that we need to pay more attention to Nigeria, and that maybe a visit by a minister would be worthwhile because there is so much going on there.

It is the same thing that I hear about Algeria, as it is also a growing economy, and there is so much in common as far as agriculture and oil and gas are concerned.

Can you share with us the focus of our missions in Nigeria and Algeria? I would really appreciate it if you could name some projects.

[Cheryl Urban]

Indeed, Nigeria and Algeria are very important countries for us in terms of trade and investment.

I'll turn it over to our director general to speak more about the specifics.

[Susan Steffen]

I'll take those separately. They are two of the largest economies on the continent.

Algeria is our largest export market on the continent. The bulk of our exports are cereals. Stay tuned if you want to listen to deals that are happening. That's going to be a very productive space. Agricultural products to Algeria is a space you should continue to watch. I think we're going to be quite successful there. Our priorities across the continent are now trade diversification and making sure our relationships with those countries are solid. Where we have common interests, we move those common interests ahead. In the case of Algeria, absolutely, the trade diversification point is top of the list.

In Nigeria, it's twofold. Security is an important part of their reality and, therefore, of our relationship with them. In the past, Nigeria has been a big supplier of peacekeeping troops, so we've had some interaction with them there as well. Now they're struggling with their own internal security in a much bigger way. Nigeria is the second-largest economy on the continent after South Africa. It is a complex business environment. We're focusing on trying to help our companies find their way through the Nigerian market. There are lots of opportunities for two-way trade. There are lots of people from Nigeria who are very interested in many things Canada has to offer.

[Ziad Aboultaif, Conservative, Edmonton Manning, AB]

Thank you.

I'll give the remaining time to Ms. Rood.

[Lianne Rood, Conservative, Middlesex—London, ON]

Thank you very much.

Foreign interference is a well-documented and much-discussed problem in Canada, and we all know that China is pursuing an aggressive stance in Africa through its belt and road strategy.

How will you screen out adversarial influence and hostile state proxies in procurement, research partnerships and digital systems tied to projects funded under this strategy, and what audits will be made available so Canadians can see exactly where our money goes?

[Cheryl Urban]

Indeed, foreign interference is a very significant issue. It's a growing issue around the world. It's something we pay very close attention to and monitor through our embassies and reporting. We know there are a number of international players on the continent who engage in practices like foreign interference, so this is something that is important to us in terms of our engagement.

In terms of how we operate and spend funds, we have many checks and balances. We work with trusted partners when we're spending international assistance resources abroad and on the African continent. We undertake fiduciary evaluations of those partners before we fund them. In many cases, we're funding organizations. We're not providing funds directly to governments.

I don't know whether you want to add anything to that, Sue.

[Susan Steffen]

The question of how we manage risk in our development programming—which is where the bulk of the funding from the Canadian government comes—is a really pertinent one. We revise our processes regularly.

Our assistant deputy minister spoke about the risk assessments we do and the risk mitigation structures we put in place. We also do regular audits and monitoring missions. That's partly why we have people in the field. Where we need specific expertise, we hire it to go and do field missions, as best we can.

[Lianne Rood, Conservative, Middlesex—London, ON]

Is there any requirement for transparency in how the funds are used? When you give money to an organization, how is it using Canadian taxpayer monies, or how is it funded?

[Susan Steffen]

Yes, there's regular financial reporting. It depends on the level of risk. If it's a higher risk, we increase the level of reporting, which means we get regular financial reporting on how all the money is spent, very specifically.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ahmed Hussen]

Thank you very much.

Next, we go to MP Mona Fortier.

You have five minutes.

[Mona Fortier, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier—Gloucester, ON]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

Thank you for being here today to discuss Canada's important Africa strategy that has been put forward.

I'd like to continue in the same vein as the answers given to my colleague Robert Oliphant's questions, because, surprisingly, I was going to ask the same questions he did, but in French. In addition, we haven't even spoken to each other.

Maybe I'll take it a step further. I think it's important to know how to implement this strategy, how to apply it.

The African Canadian diaspora is 1.3 million Canadians. We know that we can achieve a lot by putting these people to work. We talked about the trade hub, but on September 5, the Prime Minister also announced new measures to protect, strengthen and transform Canada's strategic industries and to help them deal with the impact of changes in U.S. trade policy.

Among these measures is the strategic response fund, which provides $5 billion to help Canadian businesses across all tariff-affected sectors adapt, diversify and grow. In addition, there is assistance for Canadian canola and agricultural producers. That's $75 million over five years for the Government of Canada's AgriMarketing program. I would also like to address the issue of Canada's bilingualism, which obviously represents a natural advantage for doing business in Africa.

How will these measures align with Canada's strategy for Africa and the possibility of increasing the participation of the African Canadian diaspora in this initiative?

[Andrew Smith]

It's a very broad kind of accounting of how the government is addressing issues related to the tariffs. As far the diaspora is concerned, we've been paying quite close attention to the opportunities that exist in Africa and then considering which kinds of partners in Canada are best to work with in terms of finding opportunities for them to work in Africa.

I would say that Black-owned enterprises are a very interesting group: a subset of Canadian enterprises, some of whom have a very strong relationship with Africa. That experience, I think, can be shared more effectively with other Black-owned enterprises and, more broadly, with other Canadian enterprises that are interested in working in Africa.

We're looking at how we can engage these enterprises in ways that can support their efforts and aspirations to export to Africa.

[Mona Fortier, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier—Gloucester, ON]

I recently met with representatives of the Benin-Canada Chamber of Commerce in Montreal. They asked me how they could help diversify the markets that Canada wants to undertake in Africa, particularly in Benin, we hope, and remain competitive despite U.S. tariffs.

So it was an invitation. What do we do when we are asked that question on the ground? Where should those people be directed, to trade commissioners or a trade hub?

I think that's the question that arises when we talk about Canada's Africa strategy. How is it enforced?

[Susan Steffen]

Thank you for your question.

It's very interesting that your example is about the Benin-Canada Chamber of Commerce, because I haven't had a chance to meet with them yet. Perhaps you will be able to put them in contact with us.

Our trade officers in Ottawa are part of the trade hub. They're not two different things. I would advise those people to contact our trade officers on the ground in Benin. That's a very pragmatic answer.

[Mona Fortier, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier—Gloucester, ON]

I also took part in the International Business Forum Impact Diaspora, a major event that took place in Ottawa just recently. The Mauritanian ambassador informed me that he was coming back to Ottawa because he wanted to do business in Canada. We hadn't heard from them for a while, but they were willing to work with us again.

It is therefore also interesting to note that this strategy attracts potential trading partners. Do you know if there are other opportunities to do business with countries like Mauritania, which want to work with Canada again?

[The Chair, Liberal, Ahmed Hussen]

Give a very brief response please.

[Andrew Smith]

I was just saying that, in terms of how to respond to the question you received in Montreal, the strategy is part of a broader effort, of course, within the Government of Canada and certainly within the department.

The CanExport program is something that I think is worth noting, and perhaps sharing, with constituents.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ahmed Hussen]

Thank you very much.

MP Holman, you have five minutes.

[Kurt Holman, Conservative, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Thank you, Chair, and thank you to the witnesses who are attending the foreign affairs committee today.

I'd like to ask questions regarding the geostrategic situation and potential foreign interference in Africa.

What efforts are Canada and our allies taking to counter the increased presence of both Russia and China on the continent?