Evidence of meeting #6 for Industry, Science and Technology in the 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was funding.
A video is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Mélanie Joly Liberal Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC
I think that what we have done as a government is we recognize that there's anxiety and angst in western Canada—
Conservative
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
I'm just reframing it, because I don't think you were getting to the point.
Has there been any analysis done within Western Economic Diversification on the impact of regulatory changes in Bill C-69 on the receptor capacity of the energy sector to adopt clean technology funded under the WINN program?
Liberal
Mélanie Joly Liberal Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC
Well, on these specific issues, of course, I would love to work with my colleague to make sure that she is provided with the right information—
Conservative
Liberal
Mélanie Joly Liberal Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC
—and also, I had the chance to call her last night to see how we can partner—
Liberal
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Sherry Romanado
I'm sorry, we have to go to the next speaker.
We have Mr. Ehsassi. You have six minutes.
February 27th, 2020 / 12:20 p.m.
Liberal
Ali Ehsassi Liberal Willowdale, ON
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Minister, for appearing before committee. Allow me to take this opportunity to congratulate you on the exciting new portfolio that you have been leading.
Liberal
Ali Ehsassi Liberal Willowdale, ON
It's quite obvious that you have been keeping a very busy pace. You have been travelling around. You've been to St. John's, Saskatoon, Sarnia.
Given, in your testimony, you were suggesting that it's important to understand, appreciate and reflect the realities on the ground in various communities across our country, what would you say are your most significant takeaways in the last couple of months?
Liberal
Mélanie Joly Liberal Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC
Obviously, Canada is a big and beautiful country and the economic realities are different. What we have seen is that we've been able to create great economic growth, more than a million new jobs since 2015, but they're not created across the board equally. I've seen that the big challenge of the federal government is that sometimes Ottawa is very far, thousands of kilometres away, from people's realities. We all know that as members. It is sometimes a challenge to be close to the ground.
What I've seen through my travels, but also through my work in charge of tourism, is that the best way to have our eyes and ears on the ground is actually through our regional development agencies.
From the great work that ACOA's doing, to the impact we can have to help workers in the west, this is really bearing fruit. For me, the regional development agencies are the governments of proximity of the federal government.
They're the convenors of many federal departments and they can help get some solutions when it comes to, for example, skilled workers and immigration. We're dealing with the immigration pilot program in Atlantic Canada. They can also help get the right investments while there are worker shortages in Quebec. We can be there in dire times, such as when there are B.C. wildfires. That's exactly what we did.
I think the reception is extremely good across the country. I think it's resonating. I'm supported by six parliamentary secretaries, one of whom is here, Terry Sheehan, who's from Sault Ste. Marie and helping me with FedNor.
Also, the Prime Minister has asked me to develop a new framework for economic development for these agencies, so while I travel across the country, I'm gathering more information to develop that new framework.
Liberal
Ali Ehsassi Liberal Willowdale, ON
Absolutely.
Thank you for sharing your vision for the regional development agencies.
I'm curious. Given that you have six different regional agencies, how do you ensure that those communities are aware of the opportunities that are there and they're willing to partner with each one of these six?
Liberal
Mélanie Joly Liberal Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC
I think the awareness of the six federal development agencies is not the same, depending on where you are and the history of the given agency. Within a region, the awareness varies as well.
ACOA is really well known across the Atlantic. We know that. We have colleagues from the Atlantic and they always repeat to us how important it is. There are more than 500 people working within ACOA and more than 20 offices across the Atlantic. DEC, for example, in Quebec, is more known in certain regions, particularly Abitibi-Témiscamingue, than in Montreal, because the reality is that it supports a lot of the rural economic development. FedNor is way more known than FedDev in southern Ontario.
When it comes to the west, we can't see it as a monolithic block. Western Economic Diversification is present in Manitoba, B.C., Alberta and Saskatchewan, but its impacts are different and we need to acknowledge that.
CanNor, of the great north, is the face of the federal government at many levels. It is the federal convenor and is implementing many programs for federal departments that are not necessarily present there.
At the end of the day, when you look at WD, you see it's the only department headquartered in the west. It's the same for CanNor. It's the only department headquartered in Iqaluit.
Liberal
Ali Ehsassi Liberal Willowdale, ON
I know you're also very passionate about tourism and the Canadian experiences fund.
Liberal
Ali Ehsassi Liberal Willowdale, ON
Do you have any estimates as to how many employment opportunities that will provide?
Liberal
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Sherry Romanado
Unfortunately you're out of time.
It's your turn, Mr. Lemire. You have six minutes.
Bloc
Sébastien Lemire Bloc Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Minister, for being here.
I'm a social democrat. I believe that the government has a role to play in stimulating the economy. I am also a sovereignist, and I believe that we must respect provincial jurisdictions.
You spoke about partnerships, in particular with the provinces, indigenous communities, municipalities and others.
How can we ensure that when working on any collaborative measure we respect provincial jurisdictions?
Liberal
Mélanie Joly Liberal Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC
In terms of economic development, we recognize that there areas of shared jurisdiction. Ultimately, in Abitibi and across the country, people are looking for financial levers. They are very pleased to see that Canada Economic Development, or CED, is present and that the federal government can help them, through CED, the Business Development Bank of Canada, BDC, and, in general, through all the levers available to our entrepreneurs.
I have a very good relationship with the Legault government. In fact, I speak with Mr. Fitzibbon, the Minister of Economy and Innovation, several times a week. In his role as minister, he is responsible for Investissement Québec. We must always be able to look for as many partners as possible to support our different businesses.
I would say that, like you, I am a progressive. For me—and this relates to the question my colleagues asked earlier—the vision for economic development, especially through regional economic development agencies, is based on the value that I espouse, that is, the importance of equal opportunity.
By playing a role through our regional economic development agencies, we will most certainly be able to tackle one part of the problem which is, in short, the lack of economic opportunities in our rural areas as opposed to those that exist in our urban centres.