Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you to the witnesses, especially those who were up well before the crack of dawn. As a morning person, I appreciate it.
Let me just note up front that the Canada Infrastructure Bank's approval of the loan on March 5, 2025, took place at a time when we already had the looming threat of tariffs on Canadian steel. That was already evident at that time, yet it went ahead. The government was not straight with Canadians about the process and the timeline for what happened, and it really didn't come to light until June.
The question that should be asked is what all levels of government can do. Yes, this was a provincial procurement, but there's a role in it that's being fleshed out here in the testimony for a Canadian industrial strategy. That is something the federal government has a direct role in.
I would note that, in the early part of September, there was a summit in Hamilton. I'm a Hamilton-area MP and have been to Stelco many times. This summer I was at Dofasco summit, and it was entitled “Made in Canada: Ferries and Rail Summit”. How ironic it is that this would be the title of the summit taking place after a billion dollars in taxpayer funds went to subsidizing the construction of ferries in China.
I'll ask the United Steelworkers this: Were you invited to that summit?