Transport Committee on Oct. 30th, 2025

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

Colleagues, could I just ask everybody to speak one at a time for the benefit of our interpreters who are having a very hard time trying to figure out what to translate.

[Chris Lewis, Conservative, Essex, ON]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

I'll add 15 seconds to your time, Mr. Lewis.

[Chris Lewis, Conservative, Essex, ON]

Thank you very much.

Minister, have you had any discussions with Felix Fung, the assistant deputy minister of transportation, on the CCMTA regarding this crisis?

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

Well, I just want to finish off on my earlier comments—

[Chris Lewis, Conservative, Essex, ON]

I asked you a question—yes or no.

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

Sometimes you have to take a stand—

[Chris Lewis, Conservative, Essex, ON]

Please, Minister—yes or no.

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

Sometimes you have to take a stand, Mr. Lewis.

[Chris Lewis, Conservative, Essex, ON]

I'm taking a stand right now—yes or no.

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

Do you approve of—

[Chris Lewis, Conservative, Essex, ON]

So the answer is no.

Have you met with any other boards of directors from CCMTA about this crisis?

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

Do you approve of your colleague's stereotyping of temporary foreign workers who are vital to the employment base in your riding and to feeding Canadians?

[Chris Lewis, Conservative, Essex, ON]

So the answer is no. Okay. Thank you for that, Minister.

Let's talk about my riding of Essex. Quite frankly, I know about the breadbasket of Essex. You don't need to remind me. Thank goodness for those greenhouses. They certainly put a lot of food on Canadians' tables and on Americans' tables as well. Because of the price of food, thank goodness they do that.

My riding of Essex is next to the busiest international border crossing in North America. Earlier this year, a truck driver lost their load on County Road 42 and Banwell Road in my riding of Essex. Because you visited it, you must know exactly where it is. There were tons and tons and tons of safety violations.

Minister, what does standard 16 mean?

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

I assume you've spoken to Mr. Sarkaria about those safety violations—

[Chris Lewis, Conservative, Essex, ON]

What does standard 16 mean?

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

—so that he can talk to his colleagues in law enforcement.

[Chris Lewis, Conservative, Essex, ON]

What does standard 16 mean? Do you know?

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

Well, the first thing is that if you're interested in solving the problem, Mr. Lewis, I suggest that Mr. Sarkaria may be—

[Chris Lewis, Conservative, Essex, ON]

So standard 16—

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

Perhaps I could introduce you.

[Chris Lewis, Conservative, Essex, ON]

So you don't know. Thank you, sir.

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

Mr. Sarkaria and I will talk to you about law enforcement on those highways that I've been down. I've visited those greenhouses. I've talked to those workers. I've seen those packaging plants. We're very proud of that industry in Canada.

[Chris Lewis, Conservative, Essex, ON]

As you should be.

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

That is an incredible industry with incredible entrepreneurs—