Evidence of meeting #33 for International Trade in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was work.
A video is available from Parliament.
2:30 p.m.
Liberal
2:30 p.m.
Liberal
Arif Virani Liberal Parkdale—High Park, ON
Thank you very much, Minister.
I'm going to return to a concept you've touched upon and branch it out a little bit further.
You've talked about your commitment towards inclusive trade and inclusive business development. Ms. Dhillon asked you some questions about female entrepreneurs. I'm going to ask you about Black entrepreneurs and indigenous entrepreneurs.
We know about the Black entrepreneurship strategy, a flagship program that addresses systemic racism in the economy, but we also know from your opening comments that you mentioned participation in the indigenous peoples economic and trade co-operation arrangement.
Can you tell us about your prioritization of this kind of inclusive growth and what it means for indigenous and Black entrepreneurs in Canada?
2:30 p.m.
Liberal
Mary Ng Liberal Markham—Thornhill, ON
Yes. Thank you so much for that. It is an absolute priority.
Helping Canadian businesses of all sizes and those that have been under-represented in our economy is the hallmark of the work that we've been able to do together.
A couple of evenings ago the chairperson of the African Union Commission was here in Canada with a wonderful room of those Black entrepreneurs and investors from those very countries where they are looking for export opportunities. Building existing commercial relationships and new commercial relationships is essential, but it can only happen if they can access capital and navigate through the range of business networks that are here to help them know the kinds of supports that we offer in the federal government as well as in other areas. The Black entrepreneurship program has a very robust access-to-capital component, because that is a real barrier. I'm very pleased to work with Canada's financial institutions in unlocking that wonderful potential. The Government of Canada of course has made an investment there, so we are very much a partner at the table. Today and in the future, I am certain that this will unlock that economic capability in our country.
On indigenous peoples, it's terrific to work with other countries like New Zealand, Chile or Australia, which are equally committed to the work we wish to do to ensure that indigenous entrepreneurs and businesses are also getting the benefits of trade. When I have bilateral meetings with others, I'm constantly working those phones and those meetings to encourage others to join with us on those arrangements.
2:35 p.m.
Liberal
Arif Virani Liberal Parkdale—High Park, ON
Thank you very much, Minister. and thanks for that commitment to economic reconciliation, which I think is really vital.
I want to pivot to something you also mentioned at the outset when you talked about the people-to-people ties and harnessing Canadian diversity, and connect that to your recent trip to the Philippines, where you were meeting with, I believe, Secretary Lopez.
We know that there are about a million Filipino Canadians in the diaspora just in this country alone. When you're broaching ties, better relations and economic ties with the Philippines itself, what does that mean for the Filipino entrepreneurs here and what does that mean for our trade connections with that country in terms of the international [Technical difficulty—Editor]
2:35 p.m.
Liberal
Mary Ng Liberal Markham—Thornhill, ON
I say this all the time, and I would encourage other people to repeat it: Canadians are best to trade around the world because we come from around the world. Those relationships and those people-to-people ties are extremely important.
In the Philippines, I saw Canadian commercial excellence at work. I saw Canadian engineering and construction giant WSP. I saw the Skyway they built in Manila that carries half a million commuters a day. Think about that: half a million a day.
On the people-to-people ties, I met incredible Filipino entrepreneurs in Winnipeg, for example, who have deep ties and roots to the Philippines, and they act as such an incredible bridge. These business organizations.... I met the Canadian Philippine chamber of commerce while I was in the Philippines, which again is working to attract investment into a number of sectors.
Here's the other highlight about being in the Philippines: I got to meet with Jollibee. People across the country here, and certainly in the Philippines, know Jollibee. They have 24 locations in Canada. Their CEO tells me that they are expanding to more.
The opportunity is immense. I think the opportunity is immense when I look at where we are pursuing market access and growth, and we should utilize those wonderful Canadians across the country who come from other parts of the world to help us with those people-to-people connections so that we can grow our commerce and our businesses into those parts of the world.
2:35 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
Thank you very much, Minister.
Minister, you've been with us answering questions for an hour and 45 minutes. I think you've established a real record for others to have to reach as well.
Thank you to you and your officials so very much for all that valuable information. We appreciate it very much.
To the members of the committee, I did talk to you about a budget for our Inflation Reduction Act study. It was distributed to everybody. Is everybody is in support of that? Yes, I see we are.
Thank you very much.
The meeting is adjourned.