Industry and Technology Committee on Nov. 3rd, 2025

[Gabriel Ste-Marie, Bloc, Joliette—Manawan, QC]

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ben Carr]

Thank you, Mr. Ste‑Marie. You said that you had 90 seconds left. I thought that you were trying to get a few more seconds in, but you stuck to the time limit. Thank you.

Mr. Guglielmin, the floor is yours.

[Michael Guglielmin, Conservative, Vaughan—Woodbridge, ON]

Thank you, Chair.

I'll be splitting my time with MP Borrelli.

Minister, you claim there's a section and a clause in the contract that can point specifically to a violation that Stellantis has made. Have the Government of Canada's lawyers contacted Stellantis and invoked that clause?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC]

That's what we're doing today. That's exactly the letter we're sending today.

[Michael Guglielmin, Conservative, Vaughan—Woodbridge, ON]

Today you're invoking a clause in the contract. What section and what specific clause will you be invoking?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC]

You don't have access, I gather, to the contract link to the SIF agreement, the strategic innovation fund. It is linked to the strategic innovation fund support for Windsor and Brampton, and there is an amendment also for that contract.

[Michael Guglielmin, Conservative, Vaughan—Woodbridge, ON]

Minister, I heard you mention the federal EV mandate.

We've had some auto executives here at this committee who have said the pause doesn't create the certainty that the industry requires. The one very simple and easy thing the government could do to breathe some life into the sector would be to remove the EV mandate.

Given all the pressures on it from the auto sector in trade negotiations, will you commit today to eliminating the EV mandate?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC]

When it comes to the future of the sector, my goal is to make sure that production in Canada is protected and that there are incentives to continue to produce even more in Canada. That's why I've had the conversation with Honda and Toyota, both of which have non-plug-in hybrids.

I'm willing to have conversations with them. I'm willing to do things to protect the jobs in Alliston and make sure that the Toyota and Honda plants are secured—

[Michael Guglielmin, Conservative, Vaughan—Woodbridge, ON]

Thank you, Minister. I have one last quick question, because my time is very limited.

In the strategic innovation fund agreement, there is very detailed enforceable reporting on gender equality, diversity and climate initiatives. It goes as far as saying there's a 50-30 challenge, whereby 50% of a board would be made up of women and non-binary people and 30% of the board would be people with disabilities and racialized, LGBTQ+, first nations and Métis people.

Why are the most detailed commitments in the agreement about net zero and DEI and not job guarantees for Brampton?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC]

Are you against women being on boards?

[Michael Guglielmin, Conservative, Vaughan—Woodbridge, ON]

No. I'm 100% for women—

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC]

I'm just asking.

[Raquel Dancho, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

That's not what he said.

[Ted Falk, Conservative, Provencher, MB]

Just answer the question.

[Michael Guglielmin, Conservative, Vaughan—Woodbridge, ON]

That's not what I said, first of all. I'd be for 100% female boards. It should be merit-based.

The question is, why is there no reference to keeping jobs at Stellantis and so much emphasis on these policies?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC]

I don't know why you're all saying that there's no commitment. There is.

Look at the contracts, and then you'll be informed.

[Michael Guglielmin, Conservative, Vaughan—Woodbridge, ON]

Which section is it?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC]

It's going to be in the production of the contract on the SIF agreement—

[Michael Guglielmin, Conservative, Vaughan—Woodbridge, ON]

Thank you, Minister. I'm sharing my time.

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC]

—for Windsor and Brampton, and the amendment.

[Michael Guglielmin, Conservative, Vaughan—Woodbridge, ON]

Do you want to jump in, Kathy?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC]

I must say that we're acting in good faith. We're not on different teams here. We all want the same thing, and “the same thing” is to bring back production at Brampton.

[Kathy Borrelli, Conservative, Windsor—Tecumseh—Lakeshore, ON]

Minister, billions of dollars of taxpayer money were poured into a single foreign-owned company, Stellantis. Taxpayers want to know, and deserve to know, where their money is being used. They deserve to know if that money will lead to good-paying jobs for Canadians.

What actions will you take if you do not receive a plan from Stellantis? In the contracts with Stellantis, if there was a default, they must pay the money back. Will you commit to ensuring that Stellantis pays back the billions of taxpayer dollars that your government handed out?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC]

That's what we're doing today. We're launching that process.

I just want to understand. Am I right that you're from Windsor?

[Kathy Borrelli, Conservative, Windsor—Tecumseh—Lakeshore, ON]

Yes, that's correct, Minister.