Transport Committee on Oct. 30th, 2025

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

No, we never said that.

[Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Bloc, Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC]

We have video, Mr. MacKinnon.

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

The press release that Mr. Groleau and other Conservative colleagues just read is proof that we've been taking this issue very seriously for a very long time. Today, we announced the next set of measures the government has proactively undertaken. The last measure was introduced in April.

You have a government that takes this issue very seriously, and the work will continue.

[Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Bloc, Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC]

I have a specific question for you.

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

When you talk about the fact that only one of your 10 requests has been considered, are you thinking about your budget requests or your requests about—

[Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Bloc, Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC]

I'm talking about the 10 requests for “Driver Inc.” One of the 10 requests has been addressed. There are nine left. Are the other nine going to be addressed?

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

You'll send me your nine other requests.

[Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Bloc, Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC]

I'm happy to do that.

I wanted to say that the announcement about the T4A slips is interesting. Sharing information is a positive thing.

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

I think a few of those requests are under provincial jurisdiction. Are you going to arrange for letters from the ministers in the provinces where they're asking us handle this?

[Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Bloc, Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC]

I'll have to get back to you on that, but we've checked, so I don't believe that's the case.

In your presentation, you said that you are a full-time Minister of Transport, and the Department of Transport has 6,000 employees.

However, in concrete terms, none of the measures announced today fall under Transport Canada, and you've come here empty-handed. Do you intend to take meaningful action on transportation?

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

When it comes to solving transportation-related problems, Transport Canada is a catalyst, collaborator and partner for all federal agencies and institutions.

[Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Bloc, Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC]

I'll give you some examples of what can be done with respect to the Motor Vehicle Transport Act, the security certificate—

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

Thank you, Mr. Barsalou‑Duval.

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

I can assure you that that is the role of Transport Canada, Mr. Barsalou‑Duval. I think you know it too.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

Next, I will turn the floor over—

[Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Bloc, Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC]

No, I have a nice list here. It's unfortunate that I'm out of time.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

Thank you very much, Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Barsalou‑Duval.

Next, I'll turn the floor over to Mr. Lewis.

Mr. Lewis, the floor is yours. You have five minutes, sir.

[Chris Lewis, Conservative, Essex, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you to both of the ministers for appearing this morning.

I'll turn first to you, Minister MacKinnon. In your testimony.... Notwithstanding the fact that I agree with you that our grocery shelves are full of goods because of our truckers, I'm also going to equally say that probably it's because Canadians can't afford food, but that's just a point of interest.

Minister, on October 7, 2025, this committee heard compelling testimony from witnesses who described the Driver Inc. model as “the crisis that is destroying [the trucking] industry, causing carnage on our highways and robbing our social network of billions of dollars each year.”

Minister, honestly, give yes-or-no answers, please.

In your capacity as Minister of Transport, have you met with the Ontario Minister of Transportation about this crisis?

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

Mr. Sarkaria and I have communicated back and forth, and our offices have. We will continue to, obviously, collaborate with Ontario. We have, as you can imagine, a number of major issues with Ontario that we want to solve together, and we'll do that.

I've visited your riding. I've visited the greenhouses in your riding. I've visited the temporary foreign workers who work in the greenhouses in your riding, and I've visited the owners of those greenhouses who say that they could not possibly survive without those temporary foreign workers.

I just want to ask you, though, Mr. Lewis—

[Chris Lewis, Conservative, Essex, ON]

Thank you, Minister.

I had a very brief question.

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

I want to ask you, Mr. Lewis, do you approve of the stereotyping of temporary foreign workers that your colleagues just—

[Chris Lewis, Conservative, Essex, ON]

Minister, have you had any—

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

It's an honest question for you.

[Chris Lewis, Conservative, Essex, ON]

Have you had any discussions—

It's my floor.

Thank you, Minister, it's my floor.

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

In your part of the world, you produce food. You're a breadbasket for Canada, Mr. Lewis.