International Trade Committee on Nov. 24th, 2025

[Jacob Mantle, Conservative, York—Durham, ON]

The initial motion was in September, yes.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Could we have that distributed or pulled up on your iPad?

[The Clerk]

Yes, it was distributed at that time.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Does anyone want to speak to the motion?

Mr. Naqvi, please go ahead.

[Yasir Naqvi, Liberal, Ottawa Centre, ON]

Thank you very much, Chair.

I appreciate the gist of, and the reason behind, the motion that my colleague has brought forward, and I'd like to speak on that as well.

I'm next in order to ask questions. This is in respect of all our witnesses, who are present and who have made some really thoughtful points around this study. I was really hoping Mr. Mantle would agree to have this discussion at the end of this panel so that we would not waste their time. These are all important and busy individuals with very thoughtful jobs to do. We should have the benefit of their expertise while we can, and then go back to speaking on this motion.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Mr. McKenzie, please go ahead.

[David McKenzie, Conservative, Calgary Signal Hill, AB]

Thank you, Chair.

I take my friend's points well. I actually believe it's quite a simple and direct motion. It does not compel the minister to appear. It's simply that this committee report the status of affairs to the House. I think it's appropriate for us to vote on that now, and then we can move on quickly to our witnesses.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Mr. Naqvi, it's back to you.

[Yasir Naqvi, Liberal, Ottawa Centre, ON]

Chair, I think you quite ably shared the status as to the minister's availability. You are absolutely correct that the minister is willing to appear before this committee. She feels that this is an important review taking place and that she has information to share. However, she is the Minister of Industry so of course has a very busy schedule.

She's been asked twice, on different matters, to appear in front of the industry committee, which she is responsible to report directly to. I believe she has made one appearance already to that committee, and she will be making another appearance, before the holiday break, at that committee as well. She's travelling and, I believe, just this week, she's out of the country doing important work on behalf of Canada.

It's not that she doesn't want to appear before this committee; she does actually want to appear before the committee, but there are scheduling challenges. The government takes this responsibility seriously, as do all ministers, I believe, who have been asked to appear.

We've already heard from the Minister of International Trade and the Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. relations. They spent a significant amount of time answering very thoughtful questions from all sides of this committee. I have no doubt that Minister Joly wants to do the same.

I think that's a very detailed explanation. I still think we should welcome her when she comes in the beginning of the new year. We're just starting the process of writing the report of this committee, so I think her input at that time would be extremely beneficial to the work that we are doing.

I think that should be a sufficient update in terms of what Mr. Mantle has asked so that we can continue with the work of this committee.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Okay.

I apologize to the witnesses. Please have a bit of patience. I have five people on the list to speak to this.

Let's keep in mind what we're trying to accomplish here.

Mr. Hoback, please go ahead.

[Randy Hoback, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

Thank you, Chair.

I apologize to the witnesses. Hopefully, we can get this done right away and get back to the importance of listening to what they have to bring to this meeting.

Whether we vote later or now, it doesn't matter. Let's just get the vote done, move forward and get back to the witnesses. That is my advice at this point in time. We can debate this. The minister is busy. We get that. I know the chair does her utmost best to get people in front of this committee as quickly as possible, and maybe this will help her speed that process along and give her another tool in her tool belt to make that happen before Christmas. That's all it's doing.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Go ahead, Mr. Fonseca.

[Peter Fonseca, Liberal, Mississauga East—Cooksville, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I'm glad to go after MP Hoback. It's great to see Randy here, back at our committee.

I understand that we all want to hear from the minister here at our committee. As you said, Madam Chair, we heard that the minister has not yet even had the opportunity to appear before the industry committee, and I can understand why.

We have our witnesses here—and we thank them for the testimony they've given us. This is so important in informing us, in terms of this CUSMA review.

However, if you've heard the minister, be it in the House or as she's travelling to many different countries as we look to diversify our trade, it's always about upholding those Canadian standards. We're talking about the highest standards when it comes to labour, trade and the environment. Therefore, we are hearing from the minister. I know her testimony here at this committee would be invaluable. I'm sure she wants to be here. Madam Chair and the clerk have reached out to the minister. The minister has made a commitment for January, which is not too far away. We are coming to the end of this session. We're going to be rising mid-December and will be back in January. The minister would be able to come before us to provide a very informed, detailed understanding of the work she's doing. I think we should give her the opportunity to do that.

This committee has worked in a very collaborative way. I was here with MP Hoback when we were going through our first NAFTA negotiations. That was a busy time for a lot of ministers. We did ask, of course, for the Minister of Trade at the time, the Minister of Industry, etc., and there was an understanding amongst this committee that the important work those ministers were doing needed to get done. There was always leniency and understanding, as we took on a very team Canada approach. That team Canada approach has done us well in the past, and I hope we continue that approach.

We're looking to bring in ministers here to this committee, as our witnesses, to know that, together, we're that much stronger in addressing those issues. We want to allow ministers to come here, when it is appropriate and when they have the time, to share our team Canada story.

I know I speak often about how a united front is so important, not just at this committee but at all committees here on the Hill, when it comes to our CUSMA review. The one thing we need to do is stand strong together—that's labour, business and government all working together. Those who are watching our proceedings want to see that we are a unified team and we support our ministers. Whatever political stripe we may have, we want to put our best foot forward and understand that we're making a compelling case for how NAFTA and now CUSMA have worked so well for all three countries: Canada, the United States and Mexico. The way it works well is when we work together. I would ask, in that spirit, that this committee continue to work together.

I really cherished my time here listening to MP Mantle; he has great expertise in this field. He has brought in amazing witnesses. I'm sure, to some of the witnesses here today, Jacob has requested your presence, and we really want to hear that testimony. That testimony will shape our report and help us as we look to travel down to Washington.

I know that when we go to Washington, D.C., we all want to be again a united front. We all know that together this is how we are going to accomplish what we're looking for, and that is to make CUSMA that much better and to take that approach and that spirit down to the table in Washington.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Thank you.

I have Ms. Lapointe next and then Mr. Lavoie and Mr. Van Popta.

Ms. Lapointe, please.

[Linda Lapointe, Liberal, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

Thank you very much, Madam Chair.

I would have liked to discuss the motion during the time reserved for committee business, in other words, starting at 5:00 p.m. I would have been happy to do so.

I'd really like to hear what several witnesses have to say. I'd like to ask them some questions. They've set aside time this afternoon to be with us. They've come prepared. They have all prepared remarks to share information with us and to answer our questions. That's the point I wanted to make. The courteous thing to do would be to listen to all these individuals who've gone out of their way to appear before the committee.

I believe Minister Joly wrote to the clerk to inform him that she was out of the country this week. She is in Korea and will then travel to Japan, precisely to meet with representatives of the automotive industry, a very important sector here in Canada, particularly in Ontario. In addition, she appeared before the Standing Committee on Industry and Technology fairly recently, on November 3. That committee's mandate is to deal with matters related to her department. She will be hosting a G7 industry ministers' meeting in Montreal next week.

She needs to be present in a lot of places, but she'll still come and meet with us. She said she'd make sure she was available to appear before us in January. If we had postponed the discussion on the motion to 5:00 p.m., we could have moved amendments, but at this point, I would prefer that we focus on the witnesses who've taken the time to come and share their views on our study. That's my opinion.

It's not that the minister doesn't want to come; it's just that she's travelling outside the country to make sure that our auto sector jobs are protected. I would have preferred that we wait until 5:00 p.m. to discuss all this calmly and take the time to do things right.

Right now, I want to focus on the witnesses who are here.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Mr. Lavoie, please go ahead.

[Steeve Lavoie, Liberal, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

This is the first time I have served on a committee. I was elected for the first time—

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Mr. Lavoie, just hold on a second.

I'm looking at the clock. It's 26 minutes to five and we have to deal with Mr. Chambers' motion from last week. Could we hold this one until five so they can complete the testimony? Otherwise, by the time we get to vote, it's going to be a quarter to five. This is just out of respect for the six witnesses we have.

[Jacob Mantle, Conservative, York—Durham, ON]

Does anyone have anything else they want to add on this?

I don't think we have any further comments.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

I had Mr. Lavoie who just started, and I have Mr. Van Popta next.

[Jacob Mantle, Conservative, York—Durham, ON]

Do you need to speak?

[Tako Van Popta, Conservative, Langley Township—Fraser Heights, BC]

I don't need to.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Well, I interrupted Mr. Lavoie to see if that would have bought us a bit of time so that we wouldn't lose all of the witnesses.

I have to go back to Mr. Lavoie. This is his time.

[Steeve Lavoie, Liberal, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

I can wait. That's not a problem. Like my colleague, I think the witnesses should be given priority. That's why I'm a bit surprised. I have a lot to say, but I don't want to take any time away from the witnesses.

Out of respect for the witnesses and to make sure they have enough time, I'll wait until they're gone to say what I have to say.

Is it possible to return to witness testimony now and then resume the discussion on the motion at 5:00 p.m., as planned?

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

I proposed that.

Mr. Mantle would prefer to continue the discussion until we complete it so that we can have a vote on it.