Industry Committee on Jan. 30th, 2023

[Rick Perkins, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Joël Lightbound]

Thank you very much.

Go ahead, Mr. Dong.

[Han Dong, Liberal, Don Valley North, ON]

Thank you, Chair.

I just have some thoughts to share with you.

I represent a riding where over 30% of the population declare themselves as Chinese Canadians. The most recent census shows that over 5% of the Canadian population self-identify as Chinese Canadians.

To me, being a member of Parliament, I try really hard to differentiate the policies or politics between Canada and China, and the issues that happen that are sometimes very problematic within our Canadian Chinese community here. I just want to make sure that, while we are maintaining a high alert on foreign interference or bad actors, if you will, on our soil, there is a huge number of Chinese Canadians and Chinese Canadian entrepreneurs who are contributing to our economy, our supply chain and so forth.

I don't imagine that incidents like this will cast a shadow on Chinese Canadian entrepreneurs, because they're Canadian first. They're doing business. I don't want any of these studies—I'm sure my colleagues will probably feel the same way—to in any way diminish Canadian companies that may or may not be owned by a Chinese Canadian and their chance to supply their goods and services to our government.

That's just a thought.

[The Chair, Liberal, Joël Lightbound]

Thank you, Mr. Dong.

I understand that's more of a comment than a question, but thanks for sharing it with this committee.

If I see no one else, then that concludes our questions.

Mr. Larkin and Ms. Hazen, on behalf of the committee, I sincerely thank you for your participation in this meeting, but also for your service to Canadians through the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

With that, I will suspend the meeting.

[Proceedings continue in camera]