Industry and Technology Committee on Feb. 9th, 2026

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Welcome, Minister, Deputy Minister and Director. Thank you for being here and answering our questions.

My first questions pertain to Bill C‑15 and the parts we've examined in parliamentary committee.

I'll start with the part that deals with data portability.

In the bill, you're introducing a consumer-driven banking framework.

How will that align with the data portability regime provided for in Quebec's law 25?

Alignment is necessary to avoid three things: one, fragmented rules around consent and the ability to revoke consent; two, operational gaps around formats and communication time frames; and, three, legal uncertainty for provincial co-operatives such as Desjardins.

Those are quite technical questions, so if you don't have the answers today, please get back to the committee in writing.

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

Mr. Ste‑Marie, we've talked about those issues, you and I, and I know how important they are, legal uncertainty, especially.

We will get back to you with those answers. Law 25 was passed before the budget implementation bill, which still hasn't been passed, of course. That's why I am here today.

We will certainly be able to get you the answers to those questions.

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

All right. Thank you.

My next question is on the same topic.

In the event of an incident, a breach or inappropriate use by a third party, for instance, who is responsible for what? Specifically, I'm talking about the institution disclosing the information, the third party receiving it and the authorities.

In addition, what quick and standardized remedies will be put in place for the benefit of Quebec members?

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

That, too, will be part of our response.

I know that my colleague Evan Solomon is examining all the issues around data and data privacy in his work on reforming the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act.

The various pieces of legislation relating to those issues fall more within his purview. We will get back to you with a response on that as well.

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

Thank you very much.

I'll continue with the parts of Bill C‑15 that we have studied.

I have to say that I was particularly disappointed with the changes that were made with respect to greenwashing. In previous budget implementation bills, an amendment was made to the Competition Act to regulate advertising related to greenwashing. When a claim was made, it had to be supported by a credible study. In addition, individuals were given the power to bring civil proceedings under that amendment.

Bill C‑15 removes that. Claims no longer need to be supported by studies, and individuals no longer have the right to sue. Even the lawsuits that had already started were dropped.

I noticed something funny when I watched the news on television: as soon as Bill C‑15 was tabled, I started seeing the Pathways Alliance ads promoting oil and pipelines again.

Why did you choose to back down on that?

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

When it comes to advertising rules related to climate change, our objective was to bring a little more predictability and trust to the sector, because, in general, these rules had a direct impact on investments in the energy sector, including green energy. We saw that as a problem. The intention was good, but the way of doing it was ill-advised.

Our objective is to ensure that we embrace this energy transition and reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, while providing a regulatory framework that enables investment.

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

Thank you for your answer, even though I'm not convinced and I don't share your position on this.

My next question is on another topic.

On the south shore, across from Montreal, Lithion's goal is to recover electric car batteries when they reach the end of their useful life. That company is now in trouble. Quebec reportedly announced $30 million in support, while Ottawa offered only $3 million dollars.

Is that something you're looking at?

Could there be more assistance?

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

In fact, the Government of Quebec contacted me this morning to address this issue. I also met with a number of company representatives. I know it well, since I visited it with Antony Blinken, former U.S. secretary of state, when he came to Montreal. We talked about the very good co-operation between Canada and the United States at the time on the issue of new energy and the energy transition.

I will follow up, of course. I've also had a lot of conversations with Christine Fréchette on this issue.

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

Okay.

In my opinion, strategically, it would be essential to have a company that can recover those batteries. There's nickel—

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

I agree.

When we talk about the battery industry and investments in electric vehicles, battery recycling is certainly one of the points to consider. That's why Lithion is such an important company.

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

Okay, thank you.

I have four seconds left, so I'll come back to it in the next round.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ben Carr]

I'm going to recycle your time and add it to your next question, Mr. Ste‑Marie.

Mr. Seeback, welcome back to the industry committee.

The floor will be yours for five minutes.

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Minister, you've announced your new strategy for automotive, and I know you think it's going to work to create investment in Canada and create new production of vehicles. I honestly hope you're right, because we need that help.

What I want to ask you about is giving EV subsidies to American-made vehicles. I spent the weekend speaking with unemployed auto workers in my riding who worked at the Brampton facility. When I explained to them that Canadian tax dollars were going to subsidize the purchase of American EVs after their plant closed—it was supposed to build the Jeep Compass, and that production went to the United States—they were outraged, because Donald Trump has declared an economic war on our auto sector, and they lost their jobs because of it.

What do you have to say to those auto workers who I spoke to on the weekend about subsidizing American EVs?

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

Listen, Kyle, I met with them months ago, and I've met with the Stellantis workers. Some of them were offered a job in Windsor, which I think is too far away, to build the Dodge Charger, which will be supported by this new EV incentive.

We can be proud, because the Dodge Charger just won the North American car of the year award at the Detroit Auto Show, and President Trump was there. It's a Canadian-made EV. We're very proud of that.

Also, the Ontario Auto Mayors just tweeted that they welcome the auto strategy and the rebate program project to support more than 840,000 new EV purchases. It's good news. They said that the EV market has “already grown from 3.1% in 2019 to 15.4% in 2024”—

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Minister, with all due—

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

—so that's really good news as well.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ben Carr]

Okay.

Mr. Seeback, as I did with Madam Dancho, I've paused the clock and I'm writing down how much time everyone is getting. Don't worry; we'll get through it.

Mr. Seeback, it's back to you with three minutes left.

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

With all due respect, Minister, you didn't answer the question. I know it's a difficult one, but could you please try to answer the specific question. What do you say to Canadian auto workers who have lost their jobs because of Donald Trump's tariffs on Canadian autos, and what do you say to them when your government is going to subsidize the purchase of American EVs?

I don't want to hear about the auto strategy. I just want to know what you say to them. They want to know. They asked me to ask this question.

What do you say to them about Canadian tax dollars going to subsidize the purchase of American vehicles?

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

When I spoke with the auto workers, they told me they were really happy with the auto strategy because it brings predictability to a sector that is under attack by the U.S. administration.

When I told them that we need to embrace electrification because that's where the rest of the world is going, and we will be leapfrogging the American industry, they said yes, they agree.

When I said to them that in the eighties, when the U.S. auto plants were closing, we decided to bring in the Japanese automakers, and at this point they make up 77% of our production, they said yes, they agree.

Meanwhile, what I say to them is that we need to make sure we at least keep the U.S. automakers in Canada, those that are still here, to keep the jobs of their colleagues.

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

That's not what the subsidies—

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

In exchange, if they reduce their production, we will be able to reduce their market access. Therefore they won't have access to the EV incentives. They said to me, “Minister, that makes a lot of sense.”

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

No one I spoke to this weekend—

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

I can give you the names of the people I talked to.

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

You should update them, because I don't think you told them American EVs would be eligible for this subsidy. When I told Canadian auto workers, they were outraged.

You spoke about the Dodge Charger. Do you know how many Dodge Chargers were sold in Canada last year that would be eligible for this? You probably don't, but I do: 600. Six hundred vehicles are going to be eligible in Canada.

Did you also hear that Stellantis is discontinuing its production of the Pacifica EV? They've put out that statement.

The vast majority of these subsidies are going to go to foreign countries, including the United States, whose president has declared war on our auto industry. I don't know how you justify that.

You can change your mind. You can say, “You know what? We made a mistake. American EVs are not eligible until the trade war is over.”

Why won't you do that?

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

Something I don't understand about the Conservatives' point of view on industrial policy linked to the auto sector is why they're against electrification. You were against EV mandates, so, okay, we got rid of them, but we want to reduce GHG emissions and align ourselves more with Europe.