Government Operations Committee on Nov. 5th, 2024

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant, ON]

I'm in favour.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

This is the speaking order.

Does anyone wish to speak to it, or can we go right to a vote on the amendment? I'm seeing nods.

(Amendment agreed to)

We're now back to the amended motion, which is basically the same, but changed to one hour.

I have Mr. Kusmierczyk, Mrs. Kusie and then Mr. Sousa.

[Irek Kusmierczyk, Liberal, Windsor—Tecumseh, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Obviously, today is a big election day for our American friends and neighbours, so I think it's appropriate to quote former president Harry Truman, who addressed the Canadian Parliament in Ottawa on June 11, 1947. He said:

Canadian-American relations for many years did not develop spontaneously. The example of accord provided by our two countries did not come about merely through the happy circumstance of geography. It is compounded of one part proximity and nine parts good will and common sense.

The common sense has gone out of the Conservative Party when I look at the discussions we've had here around the table. This transaction is saving Canadian taxpayers $7.4 million. Every year, the cost of the new residence will save Canadian taxpayers $115,000 per month. Also, because we knew the old residence required major renovations, moving to the new residence saves taxpayers about $2.6 million in renovations. Again, the new residence is smaller, is less expensive and saves taxpayers $7.4 million.

In addition to that, the residence of the consul general, on average, hosts about 50 important meetings every two years. Not only is this new residence cheaper, saving taxpayers $7.4 million, but it's more effective for hosting meetings, round tables, discussions and events. Furthermore, it is more accessible to more people.

In addition to saving taxpayers $7.4 million, we've heard, from the very beginning, that the process was independent and rigorous. There were 21 properties appraised, and the residence that was selected was pretty much the least costly of all 21 properties that had been examined. A roughly 100-page analysis was conducted on the property by officials independent of any political elected officials.

The third and most important point, which goes back to President Truman's quote and the testimony we heard from Minister Joly today, is that this is an investment that strengthens the most important bilateral relationship Canada has, and that is the relationship with our friends and neighbours in the United States. That consular office nurtures and grows $200 billion worth of trade between our two countries, including five U.S. states.

That's the impact it has. I mean, that is a huge number, but it's important to break it down, because that trade and that relationship impacts all of our communities. All the communities we represent around this table are impacted.

I look at my community in Windsor—Essex, and I look at the fact that we landed an EV battery plant that has already created 2,000 jobs for local Canadian workers who are building the plant and that will create 2,500 full-time, unionized, local jobs for local Canadian workers. Hundreds have already been hired and are being trained, as we speak, to build batteries. The first battery came off the line just two weeks ago. For the majority of those batteries, the destination will be factories in the United States.

We have, in Windsor—Essex, the largest tool and die sector cluster in all of North America. Again, where does 90% of what we manufacture go? It goes to the United States. It's our number one client and destination. Those are jobs that we're talking about. They are real people who rely upon us to strengthen relationships with our American partners.

What we're hearing from the Conservatives is that they want to do that relationship on the cheap and to underinvest in our relationship with the United States, which is exactly what they did, over and over, when they gutted the defence department. Five years of consecutive cuts—

[Kelly Block, Conservative, Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK]

I have a point of order.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

Excuse me, Mr. Kusmierczyk.

Mrs. Block, go ahead.

[Kelly Block, Conservative, Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK]

Mr. Chair, I would like to call relevance on Mr. Kusmierczyk's intervention. I believe we're to be discussing the amended motion at hand. I would just call relevance.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

Thanks.

Perhaps you could get to the motion at hand.

[Irek Kusmierczyk, Liberal, Windsor—Tecumseh, ON]

This is a pattern. What we've heard around this table is a pattern of the Conservatives underinvesting in the most important relationship that Canada has, and that's the relationship with the United States.

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant, ON]

I have a point of order, Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

Mr. Brock, go ahead.

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant, ON]

It's completely irrelevant to the motion at hand

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

Come back to the motion.

[Irek Kusmierczyk, Liberal, Windsor—Tecumseh, ON]

The discussion that we've had around this table for weeks now on this issue, and which I've heard time and time again, is about the Conservatives wanting to underinvest—

[Kelly Block, Conservative, Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK]

I have a point of order, Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

Mrs. Block, go ahead.

[Kelly Block, Conservative, Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK]

Again, it's on relevance. What does that have to do with the amended motion at hand?

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

We always allow wide latitude, but please, Mr. Kusmierczyk, get to the motion.

[Irek Kusmierczyk, Liberal, Windsor—Tecumseh, ON]

We are talking about the purchase of a consulate residence in New York that is saving taxpayers $7.4 million, a process that was independent and rigorous, and a consulate and a residence that is—as we heard from testimony after testimony—absolutely essential to the strengthening of the Canada-U.S. relationship. That is the relevance. That relationship may not be relevant to you, but it is certainly relevant to the residents in border communities like mine.

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant, ON]

I have a point of order, Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

Mr. Brock, go ahead.

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant, ON]

No one from the Conservative side and, in fact, anyone in this committee is challenging the importance of a relationship between Canada and the United States. It goes without saying.

It's not relevant, what my friend is saying now because he's not speaking at all about the necessity of recalling Tom Clark in light of contradictory evidence.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

Thank you, Mr. Brock.

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant, ON]

That's why we need to hear from him.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kelly McCauley]

Mr. Kusmierczyk, I have to insist that you actually get to discussing the motion; otherwise, there are other people on the list, including Mr. Sousa, who, I'm sure, can.

[Irek Kusmierczyk, Liberal, Windsor—Tecumseh, ON]

Again, the importance is about an investment in consulate operations. That's the relevance. We're talking about investments in consulate operations that are vital to the U.S.-Canada relationship. That may not be relevant to my Conservative colleagues, but it sure as hell is to residents in my community, in Windsor—Essex, and border communities in Canada that rely on a strong U.S.-Canada relationship.

As I mentioned, 90% of what tool and die shops in my community manufacture goes to the United States.