Evidence of meeting #6 for Transport, Infrastructure and Communities in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was shipyard.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

Members speaking

Before the committee

Stéphane Lauzon Liberal Argenteuil—La Petite-Nation, QC

That's the case.

10:10 a.m.

Conservative

Dan Albas Conservative Okanagan Lake West—South Kelowna, BC

We should expect all other ministers to come in as it is written in Xavier's motion, correct?

The Chair Liberal Peter Schiefke

The clerk and I will obviously do all the work necessary to make sure that happens.

Is it beneficial for the members to reread the amendment, including Mr. Barsalou-Duval's friendly amendment, or are we good to go?

I think we're good to go. Okay.

Mr. Greaves, go ahead.

Will Greaves Liberal Victoria, BC

Mr. Chair, does the amendment or the proposed friendly revision to the amendment remove the ministers of revenue and labour from the list?

The Chair Liberal Peter Schiefke

That was part of what was put forward, so I'll leave it.

I see Mr. Barsalou-Duval's hand up, and then I'll turn it over to Mr. Lauzon.

Mr. Barsalou-Duval.

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

To follow up on Mr. Greaves' question, I didn't take Mr. Lauzon's amendment that way. Perhaps I misunderstood it initially. In my opinion, the Secretary of State for Labour and the Secretary of State for Revenue play a role in the whole Driver Inc. issue. It isn't just the Minister of Transport, given that some aspects concern employment insurance. In addition, some income isn't reported and isn't collected by the government. It would be good to know what type of leadership these ministers or secretaries of state intend to exercise or are already exercising in this area.

The Chair Liberal Peter Schiefke

Thank you, Mr. Barsalou‑Duval.

Mr. Lauzon has the floor, and Mr. Greaves is next.

Stéphane Lauzon Liberal Argenteuil—La Petite-Nation, QC

My understanding of point 12 of section (b) was to remove all items in point 12. Mr. Barsalou‑Duval now wants to move a subamendment. The Secretary of State for Revenue and the Secretary of State for Labour should be removed from point 12 of section (b).

The Chair Liberal Peter Schiefke

Thank you, Mr. Lauzon.

Mr. Greaves, please go ahead.

Will Greaves Liberal Victoria, BC

I was just going to request that perhaps the clerk could read out the amendment so we could all be clear on what is or is not being considered here.

Thank you, Chair.

The Chair Liberal Peter Schiefke

Okay.

The clerk would need about a minute or so to put all that together.

While he's doing that, I'll turn the floor over to you, Mr. Albas.

10:15 a.m.

Conservative

Dan Albas Conservative Okanagan Lake West—South Kelowna, BC

If the Liberals are trying to remove multiple ministers from presiding, including.... It sounds to me that you've relented on the fact that we're going to have the Minister of Public Safety for an hour in public—that is fine—but if you're asking for the Minister of Labour and for the Secretary of State for the CRA to be removed, that is intolerable. It actually removes the whole state that.... We are trying to have some public disclosure and accountability. If you do not have those ministers there, it is a substantial change to the motion.

The Chair Liberal Peter Schiefke

Thank you very much, Mr. Albas.

Does anybody else wish to speak to this? If not, I can suspend for a minute or two until I get an indication from the clerk that he's ready to reread.

10:15 a.m.

Conservative

Dan Albas Conservative Okanagan Lake West—South Kelowna, BC

One other thing is that Madam Freeland should be invited. If that is not part of that, then that is a problem for us.

The Chair Liberal Peter Schiefke

Thank you very much, Mr. Albas.

Colleagues, I will suspend for one minute. It shouldn't be more than that. The clerk's just making sure that he's able to reread the motion with the amendment, so we have a better understanding of what we would be voting for.

The meeting will suspend to the call of the chair.

The Chair Liberal Peter Schiefke

I call this meeting back to order.

I believe the clerk is now in a position to read the motion, as amended by Mr. Lauzon.

Mr. Clerk, go ahead.

The Clerk

The motion as amended reads as follows:

That the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure, and Communities establish an agenda structured as follows: a. The committee immediately requests that the Chair and the clerk, in accordance with the motion adopted on August 1, 2025, make public all documents received from the organizations listed. These documents shall be published on the committee's website and distributed in a press release through the Press Gallery Secretariat: 1. Office of the Prime Minister 2. Privy Council Office 3. Canada Infrastructure Bank 4. The Department of Housing, including the office of the responsible minister 5. The Department of Transport, including the office of the responsible minister

b. As part of its study on the Canada Infrastructure Bank's financing of new vessels for BC Ferries, the committee will hold three additional meetings and call the following witnesses:

1. Davie Shipyard 2. Ocean Group 3. Seaspan Shipyards 4. Irving Shipbuilding 5. BC Ferry & Marine Workers' Union 6. BC Building Trades 7. BC Federation of Labour 8. The Shipyard General Workers' Federation 9. The United Steelworkers 10. The Canadian Steel Producers Association—

10:20 a.m.

Conservative

Dan Albas Conservative Okanagan Lake West—South Kelowna, BC

What about the Ontario Shipyards?

The Chair Liberal Peter Schiefke

The Ontario Shipyards, yes, was added in. That's a good call, Dan.

The Clerk

—and 11) the Ontario Shipyards; (c) the committee will immediately undertake a new study on the phenomenon of chauffeured discounting, comprising at least six meetings. The committee will invite the Minister of Transport to testify in this study for a minimum of one hour. Other witnesses chosen by the parties will also be invited to appear. Finally, the committee will submit its conclusions and recommendations to the House.

The Chair Liberal Peter Schiefke

Mr. Barsalou‑Duval, the floor is yours.

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

I actually disagree with the amendment to the motion before us.

I gathered that the former minister of transport and internal trade, Chrystia Freeland, the Minister of Public Safety and the officials responsible for the review were also invited to appear. However, they would be summoned to an in camera meeting rather than a public meeting.

In point (c), the Secretary of State for Labour and the Secretary of State for the Canada Revenue Agency and Financial Institutions are missing from the list of ministers invited rather than summoned.

The Chair Liberal Peter Schiefke

Thank you, Mr. Barsalou‑Duval.

Mr. Lauzon, the floor is yours.

Stéphane Lauzon Liberal Argenteuil—La Petite-Nation, QC

I agree with this proposal.

The Chair Liberal Peter Schiefke

Okay.

Colleagues, we're going to suspend for one more minute as members work with the clerk to ensure that the wording is exactly as requested. The meeting is suspended to the call of the chair.