Minister, thank you very much for your ongoing support to our industries, including Siemens in Oakville. It was great to see you this morning when you announced the $1-billion loan program through BDC for steel, aluminum and copper industries to support our businesses amid tariff disruptions.
I'm a member of the auto caucus along with my colleague MP O'Rourke. We have had many opportunities to meet with industry organizations, unions and major OEMs operating in Canada. What I keep hearing is consistent: They are praising the direction this government is going in with the repeal of the EV mandate, the return of the purchase incentives, and the investment signals. They are pretty happy.
My riding of Oakville West is home to a significant number of auto workers at Ford Oakville and at the automotive suppliers who wake up every morning knowing that what happens at the federal level affects their families directly. The stakes are high.
Recently, GM announced $691 million for St. Catharines on top of their recent announcement of an investment of $50 million in Oshawa for stamping operations. Statistics Canada reported a 47% surge in zero-emission vehicle sales in February alone. Toyota and Honda continue to operate and invest in their operations.
Minister, in a global environment of unprecedented trade pressure and uncertainty, how has the auto strategy managed to hold the confidence of an industry that has so much at stake? What does its success tell us about where Canada is heading?