International Trade Committee on Dec. 13th, 2022

[Colin Robertson]

Yes, sir. You'll see this not just at the national level. You'll also see states practising what we call buy America.

Again, this underlines why we should, effectively, go down and remind Americans why they would want to put “North” in front of “America” when they say “buy America”—so “buy North America”—and include Canada and Mexico. We've created this remarkably effective continental platform. We have resources, we have investment, we have the workforce and we have the market. That is a compelling argument that very senior Americans on both sides of the aisle also accept. Again, it's a message we have to keep delivering. In my experience, it's most effectively delivered by politicians to politicians.

I was a diplomat in Washington and at our consulates. When I had Canadian members of Parliament or Canadian legislators from the provinces come down, I found that was very effective, because you talk the same language and you have an instant hearing with your American counterparts.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Mr. Robertson, certainly committee travel is an important part of the comments you're making about that relationship. Thank you for saying that.

We'll move on to Mr. Seeback for two minutes.

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I want to go back to what Mr. Carrie was briefly talking about: applications for the $1.5-billion clean fuels fund, a program announced in June 2021. Successful applicants were notified on November 14, 2022. That's 17 months later.

I want to get a sense of this from people in business. We've heard so much about businesses wanting certainty, especially with respect to what's going on with the IRA, because there's certainty in what the U.S. has. Would you consider a 17-month process to award some funds something that businesses would say is “certainty”?

That's for Ms. Green or Mr. Auer.

[Adam Auer]

Depending on the scale of the project, obviously some due diligence is necessary and welcome, but my industry is not involved in that particular fund. There are others, like the net-zero accelerator. Speed and administrative burden are important considerations in the certainty conversation.

[Jennifer Green]

I would simply add that the pace of doing business has to be well understood in the development of these programs as they continue through their stages. We have members who have been brought through some of these programs, and they have been delaying projects on the ground, so—

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

I have very little time.

The Canada growth fund was announced, to an extent, in response to the IRA. If it takes 17 months for an application to be processed, how damaging will that be for Canadian industries in the face of the IRA?

[Jennifer Green]

My point is that we have learned lessons from existing programs that should be well understood, and issues should not be brought forward into the new programs or new funds being created.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Thank you very much.

We have Mr. Virani for two minutes.

[Arif Virani, Liberal, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I want to start with Mr. Robertson. Any other panellist who wants to can chime in as well.

We've been talking about the critical minerals component, and you'll be aware that Minister Wilkinson launched the critical minerals strategy within the last seven to 10 days. The fall economic statement, or Bill C-32, which we were just voting on a few days ago, talks about an increase in the mineral exploration tax credit, with the rate going from 15% to 30%.

Is that an appropriate baseline for the rate to be set at? Do you think there's room for further improvement to harness exactly what we've been talking about, which is competing with the Chinas of the world in the race for critical minerals? Does this also include capitalizing on not just extracting them but also getting to the point where we're processing, refining and even manufacturing batteries themselves here in Canada?

I'll start with Mr. Robertson, and then if anyone else wants to chime in, they can. Thanks.

[Colin Robertson]

While I can't comment on the specifics, I can say that we have to constantly re-examine our competitive tax advantages within Canada involving the various levels of government, whether we're talking federal, provincial or municipal.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Thank you very much.

Thank you to our witnesses for that very valuable information. We look forward to further discussions in 2023 on this important topic.

We will suspend. We need to go in camera for committee business.

[Proceedings continue in camera]