Mr. Speaker, on November 2 the Canadian Automotive Partnership Council tabled its report, “A Call for Action: A Canadian Auto Strategy”.
Once the report was made public, I asked the Minister of Industry when he would act on recommendations. He stated, “Over the next couple of weeks we will be putting together the final touches on an automotive strategy for Canada”.
Nearly another month passed when I again pressed the minister about inaction and he said, “In terms of cabinet consideration I don't know the degree to which I can be open about that, but I would like to think that we can get feedback before Christmas”.
For the record, all I want for Christmas is a Canadian auto policy.
The CAPC report was more than two years in the making and had significant government involvement. The recommendations, therefore, are no surprise. We need to move on investment opportunities like the GM Beacon project so we do not lose more investment.
It is time to move on the CAPC recommendations; fight back against international subsidies that steal Canadian jobs; question markets that are closed to Canadian automobile sales, yet sell in our markets; and take this opportunity to be the pioneers of the manufacture, design and assembly of a new wave of environmentally friendly vehicles that Canadians manufacture and assemble and have those jobs.