Industry Committee on March 4th, 2022

[Brian Masse, NDP, Windsor West, ON]

The investments are one thing, but we're talking about what the Prime Minister said. We're talking about a very specific example where the U.S. incentives are greater, almost by double, than the Canadian incentives. Right now the Biden administration, despite putting all the war drums on the table with regard to increasing EV incentives—and the Prime Minister said he would match them, but has not—is actually still doubling down on EV incentives built in Canada versus our own Windsor-made Pacifica. Isn't that embarrassing? Why can't that change?

[Mary Ng, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

I would say to the member that our absolute top priority is to be sure there is competitiveness here in Canada...to that of our American partners. I was just in the United States on Monday. This work very much continues between the two countries. We've seen the largest trade volume between our two countries than we have seen in history.

Trade is absolutely working. It is absolutely happening between the two countries, and where we are very much aligned—

[Brian Masse, NDP, Windsor West, ON]

I don't disagree, and I appreciate that—

[Mary Ng, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

—is on the road to building back better and to climate change.

[Brian Masse, NDP, Windsor West, ON]

I'm asking very specifically about an example here. If you don't want to answer, that's fine. I appreciate the work that you're doing. You've gone to Washington several times, which is very helpful. At the same time, we have a Prime Minister whose word has been often maligned in the House of Commons and other places, but goes to another country and talks about a very specific thing that he would do, but he doesn't do it, doesn't follow through, and we still have a problem here.

I don't accept excuses about how lobbying or incentives here...when we actually have a case where the Prime Minister says they would match it. Wouldn't it show some good faith to Americans that we're going to do that? What do you think they're thinking right now when we won't even match our only electric vehicle being produced in Canada, whereas they're doubling their incentives for their taxpayers versus Canadians? Don't you think that erodes the Prime Minister's trust and his word in Washington when we're not even doing the same thing that we could do right now?

[Mary Ng, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

What I would say to the member is that what you've seen our government do time and time again is stand up for Canadian industries and stand up for Canadian workers. This is not different at all. We will continue to do that work as we have done. You've seen us not step away from—

[Brian Masse, NDP, Windsor West, ON]

How is it standing up for Canadian workers when the U.S. is providing double incentives for the work that's actually done in Windsor, Ontario, right here, right now? That's not standing up for our workers. Standing up for our workers would be actually providing Canadian consumers, and also the actual workers, the benefit of having the same subsidy that Americans are getting right now.

I don't understand how it supports workers when a foreign government is actually attacking us with an EV policy that's very assertive, is still actually providing double the incentive, and twice versus once for Canadians, on the only actual hybrid vehicle manufactured and assembled in Canada.

[François-Philippe Champagne, Liberal, Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC]

I'd say that I share the same passion as you do, Mr. Masse. As you know, I've been fighting like you, and all of us. I think it's a Canadian issue.

The only thing I would disagree with you on is that in speaking to the CEOs of all the automakers, I have never received as many calls in my life from people who want to install and increase their capacity in Canada. You will soon see new mandates being renewed. You will have seen this morning the BASF announcement, which is going to be starting—

[Brian Masse, NDP, Windsor West, ON]

That's great, but I just met with the Canadian CEOs, and they want the incentive to be matched. They just told me. It's a simple thing you could do. I don't know why it takes 81-plus days to actually increase our incentives from $5,000 to $9,500, or the equivalent to the United States for an actual existence of a program right now. I don't understand why it takes that long.

I appreciate all the work that's being done, but I'm sorry, I'm not going to let this go.

[François-Philippe Champagne, Liberal, Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC]

I appreciate that, and I know your passion. I saw you when we were building the new Ambassador Bridge. Trust me, I do know your passion.

I can tell you that what I hear from the CEOs is proximity—proximity resources, proximity to the assembly plant and proximity to the markets. To be honest, we are so competitive, Mr. Masse, that when you see the number of mandates we're renewing, I think you will look back and say that we have done something quite extraordinary. The workers in Windsor will benefit, because we are in touch with all the automakers. I've now received calls from European automakers who are looking at Canada. Never, I think, in the history of Canada have we see so much interest in building in Canada—

[Brian Masse, NDP, Windsor West, ON]

That's fine—

[The Chair, Liberal, Joël Lightbound]

Thank you, Minister, and thank you, MP Masse.

[Brian Masse, NDP, Windsor West, ON]

I appreciate that, but it doesn't answer the simple question.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Joël Lightbound]

Thank you.

We'll now move to MP Gray for five minutes.

[Tracy Gray, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

[Tracy Gray, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

Minister Ng, did any representatives from Ryerson University or Magnet directly approach you regarding involvement in government programs?

[Mary Ng, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

I appreciate this question.

As I said earlier, we're going to see some 30,000 student placements. What I would say is that officials opened up the search for organizations that could step up as partners to help these young people provide the opportunity to small businesses to digitize. They've done the due diligence and—

[Tracy Gray, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

Thank you, Minister. That was a yes or no question.

Has Magnet received any other contracts from the government since 2015?

[Mary Ng, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

I know that they are going to be the successful deliverers to this contract.

[Tracy Gray, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

Could you please table for this committee any contracts that Magnet might have received since 2015, as well as the dollar values of those contracts and the content of the contracts?

[Mary Ng, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

What I could say and share in response to an earlier question that you had is that there were 10 organizations that applied. Eight had completed applications, and four were short-listed. Magnet went through that competitive process as one of those that was shortlisted.

I don't know who gets selected before officials put their recommendation in front of me, just to clarify and provide you with that in response to an earlier question that you had.

[Tracy Gray, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

Thank you very much, Minister.

You've outlined the various organizations that went through the process. Can you table the scoring results for the not-for-profits that were being considered?

[Mary Ng, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

I hope what you're asking me is how this program and service deliverer is going to be able to provide what is in my mandate, which is to help Canadian businesses grow through digitization. I'm very confident that we're going to see 30,000 youth placements. We're going to see some 160,000 businesses go digital, go online and boost their technology.

[Tracy Gray, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

Thank you, Minister.

The question is if you could table the scoring criteria and how those, especially the last four, scored in that criteria.

[Mary Ng, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

I'm so happy to talk to you about my mandate, particularly to help Canadian businesses go digital. I'm thrilled that there will be terrific young people, who no doubt we're going to see contribute—