I'll just say, Mr. Chair, that we asked over two weeks ago to receive this information. I moved a motion from this committee floor to receive that information, so with all due respect, Mr. Gaheer, it's like you're trying to rag the puck on me.
We had lots of time. I, in good faith, moved my motion last time to get this information, and Mr. Fillmore promised me that we would have it today, but we didn't receive it. I, as you will note, did not put a timeline in the new motion that was circulated.
The fact of the matter is that there are some big numbers floating around about the amount of money the government put forward or has given to Volkswagen to create a new battery plant. This is the only car company that's been charged, in my understanding, under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act laws on emissions. That was within the last seven years. It was Catherine McKenna, the former environment minister, who used those powers under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act.
Now we're in a position where.... An unprecedented action was taken in the budget and they said that we'll give you these numbers in due time. Well, we're going to have a vote on the budget pretty soon, and I don't know how much money is going to Volkswagen. I've heard “billions” being floated around, and some of the other numbers being proposed by other countries, before this government came forward with great fanfare to announce this seminal investment, yet this government is afraid to give Canadians the number. Why can't we just get the number? What's the big deal?
I would even take this motion off and just ask for two things: the number of jobs and the amount of money.
I'm not asking for anything inappropriate. If the government stands by their investment, they'll give us the numbers. I don't need obfuscation. We need to have transparency. What I'm seeing here from those two comments is a lack of transparency and a fear of committee members to give Canadians an answer that they deserve.
The motion stands as it is, but we need this information, Mr. Chair. I'm not out of order. This is common-sense stuff. Previous governments have been in this situation before, and they provided information. The parliamentary secretary promised me that he would have it here today, and he didn't follow up with an email or anything or say we need a bit more time or we're redacting certain information. Not a peep. It's like you guys didn't even expect this would come today.
This is a straightforward, good-faith motion on something that the Government of Canada should be proud to share with Canadians.