Transport Committee on Aug. 1st, 2025

[Gregor Robertson, Liberal, Vancouver Fraserview—South Burnaby, BC]

The funding from Transport Canada is operational funding to BC Ferries. It's completely separate from the investment, the lending, from the Infrastructure Bank. She clarified her concerns about the investment coming from Transport Canada, which is a long-standing operational transfer that happens between Transport Canada and BC Ferries, as I understand it, whereas the Canada Infrastructure Bank financing was a completely separate and independent deal.

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

When did you speak with Ms. Freeland to let her know about the Canada Infrastructure Bank's involvement in procurement of the vessels?

[Gregor Robertson, Liberal, Vancouver Fraserview—South Burnaby, BC]

We were out of session. It would have been after her letter was out. We spoke after her letter. She informed me that she had sent a letter to the B.C. Minister of Transportation and gave me a quick readout on that. At that point, we had an exchange about the Infrastructure Bank financing.

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

You didn't want to let the public know that Ms. Freeland's letter was a bit unnecessary, since a federal agreement was already in place to fund the vessels?

[Gregor Robertson, Liberal, Vancouver Fraserview—South Burnaby, BC]

Through the chair, I'm not clear what you mean by informing the public. I think Minister Freeland's letter was public within days of it being transmitted.

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

In short, the letter was essentially pointless. Ultimately, it was all smoke and mirrors, because the decision to fund these vessels with federal money had already been made. You could have let the public know.

Why didn't you?

[Gregor Robertson, Liberal, Vancouver Fraserview—South Burnaby, BC]

Minister Freeland had her letter as Minister of Transport. She was acting on behalf of her department, sharing her concerns and clarifying the funding that is between Transport Canada and BC Ferries. The Infrastructure Bank financing was a completely separate deal. I don't know what she could have clarified about that or what my role could have been in that.

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

Most people expected that this project wouldn't involve any federal money. Ms. Freeland's letter, which was all over the papers, led us to believe that the federal government would ensure that a project to help China's shipbuilding industry wouldn't receive any federal funding.

We now understand that this letter was meaningless. As a government representative, you then failed to set the record straight by letting the public know while the House was sitting. Moreover, the Canada Infrastructure Bank issued its press release on June 26, when the House was no longer sitting.

Is that a coincidence?

[Gregor Robertson, Liberal, Vancouver Fraserview—South Burnaby, BC]

The details of the BC Ferries-CIB agreement were public on June 13. Those were posted prior to Minister Freeland's letter. I'm not sure what the member is driving at here in terms of the sequence there.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

Thank you very much, Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Barsalou‑Duval.

Next we'll go with Mr. Gunn.

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

[Aaron Gunn, Conservative, North Island—Powell River, BC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mr. Minister, I just want to confirm first the dollar amount of the taxpayer subsidy in the form of the loan from the Canada Infrastructure Bank to BC Ferries. It's $1 billion, correct?

[Gregor Robertson, Liberal, Vancouver Fraserview—South Burnaby, BC]

That's my understanding, yes.

[Aaron Gunn, Conservative, North Island—Powell River, BC]

Do we know how many jobs that $1 billion from taxpayers is going to create in China?

[Gregor Robertson, Liberal, Vancouver Fraserview—South Burnaby, BC]

You would have to ask officials in China, I think, related to that company. I haven't seen numbers related to that procurement.

[Aaron Gunn, Conservative, North Island—Powell River, BC]

Do you think it's a good use of taxpayers' money to offshore Canadian jobs in another country, particularly one that's adversarial to our own?

[Gregor Robertson, Liberal, Vancouver Fraserview—South Burnaby, BC]

I certainly want to see Canadian jobs created as much as possible in all of the infrastructure investments, and obviously in the housing investments, that we do. I also respect the independence of the Infrastructure Bank. It's created to be independent of political interference.

[Aaron Gunn, Conservative, North Island—Powell River, BC]

I mean, you say that the bank is independent, but it's also true, is it not, that under section 8 of that act you appoint the board, under section 9 you appoint the CEO, and under section 17 you approve its annual budget? Don't you think that if we're shelling out $1 billion in taxpayer money, there should at least be a Canadian content requirement?

[Gregor Robertson, Liberal, Vancouver Fraserview—South Burnaby, BC]

Through the chair, I think what the member is suggesting I agree with. In terms of my direction going forward, as the new minister and with the opportunity to give policy direction, it's very clear that I cannot and will not interfere in the business of the Infrastructure Bank. It is an independent agency. In policy direction, though, I will be giving clear direction: for Canada, by Canada, and benefiting Canadian workers and Canadian materials—

[Aaron Gunn, Conservative, North Island—Powell River, BC]

I appreciate that answer, Minister. Are you then basically admitting that it was a mistake for the government not to have that policy direction in place prior to this agreement being signed in March?

[Gregor Robertson, Liberal, Vancouver Fraserview—South Burnaby, BC]

In terms of prior governments, they were operating in a very different context. We've seen a lot of change in the world in the last six months. Certainly, there has been a change in government. We are a new government. I'm taking direction from my Prime Minister and all his efforts to work for Canadians and Canadian jobs in our trade affairs and our investment going forward.

[Aaron Gunn, Conservative, North Island—Powell River, BC]

Minister, some things have changed and some things have not. I'll ask you a couple of quick yes-or-no questions. Would you agree that the People's Republic of China is a dictatorship?

[Gregor Robertson, Liberal, Vancouver Fraserview—South Burnaby, BC]

I'm here to speak for my ministry and not to make geopolitical assertions.

[Aaron Gunn, Conservative, North Island—Powell River, BC]

It's a pretty basic question. I mean, if we're giving $1 billion in taxpayer money to a state-owned company, we should probably be on the same page as to whether this country is a dictatorship or not.

[Gregor Robertson, Liberal, Vancouver Fraserview—South Burnaby, BC]

Through the chair, I want to clarify that the Government of Canada made an investment and created an infrastructure bank that is at arm's length from government to invest in infrastructure here in Canada. We do not have direction on what those investments are specifically. We trust that to a board—

[Aaron Gunn, Conservative, North Island—Powell River, BC]

Minister, do you like President Xi's chances in the next election?