Debates of May 31st, 2021

Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development—Main Estimates, 2021-22

[Mary Ng, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Madam Chair, I have had an opportunity to meet with my U.S. counterpart. I have raised it at every opportunity, and I will continue to do so.

[Tracy Gray, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

Madam Chair, maybe I will ask this in a different way.

Is Ambassador Tai's observation correct?

[Mary Ng, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Madam Chair, I think I have already said that I have raised this issue and have reiterated that an agreement—

[The Assistant Deputy Chair, Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

The hon. member for Kelowna—Lake Country.

[Tracy Gray, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

Madam Chair, well, the question is referring to Ambassador Tai's statement and whether or not her statement is accurate when she said that Canada has not expressed an interest in engaging.

[Mary Ng, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Madam Chair, as I said, I have discussed this with my hon. colleague, the USTR. I have discussed it with the commerce secretary. I have raised it with the President. We will continue to work with the United States on this issue.

[Tracy Gray, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

Madam Chair, when questioned last week at the natural resources standing committee on negotiating a softwood lumber deal, Canada's natural resources minister said that the U.S. has not been willing.

Minister, do you agree with his statement?

[Mark Gerretsen, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

Madam Chair, I rise on a point of order. The member is continually referring to the minister saying, “minister do you”. The rules are quite clear that all questions must go through the Chair. I know you have already indicated that to this member.

[The Assistant Deputy Chair, Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

I would remind all members to ask their questions through the Chair. Please do not tell me how to do the job, either in questions of time or how to address me.

The hon. member.

[Tracy Gray, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

Madam Chair, I will ask the question again, through you.

Canada's natural resources minister, when questioned last week at the natural resources standing committee on negotiating a softwood lumber deal, said the U.S. has not been willing. Does the minister agree with the statement?

[Mary Ng, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Madam Chair, what I have shared with the USTR is that the current duties that are being imposed are unfair and unwarranted. The preliminary results of the second administrative review—

[The Assistant Deputy Chair, Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

The hon. member for Kelowna—Lake Country.

[Tracy Gray, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

Madam Chair, Minister, is your cabinet colleague's statement correct? Do you agree with your colleague?

[The Assistant Deputy Chair, Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

The question is to be through me.

The hon. minister.

[Mary Ng, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Madam Chair, this is a really important issue. I will continue to work with the United States, as we have been, through the USTR, through our various interlocutors—

[The Assistant Deputy Chair, Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

The hon. member for Kelowna—Lake Country.

[Tracy Gray, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

Madam Chair, we have to remember that it was the Prime Minister who commented that the U.K. did not have the bandwidth to negotiate a deal with Canada, which was a comment the U.K. official adamantly denied. The facts are the U.K. was negotiating and signing deals all over the world.

Therefore, whose statement should we believe at this time? Do we believe that of the U.S. trade representative or that of Canada's natural resources minister?

[Mary Ng, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Madam Chair, the question was about the Canada-UK Trade Continuity Agreement, and I am very pleased that we have passed that. We are looking forward to beginning negotiations with the United Kingdom for a trade agreement between our two countries.

[Tracy Gray, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

Madam Chair, the comment had to do with having a minister, or a prime minister, make a statement that is then countered by another government disagreeing.

On February 27, 2020, the Conservative members from the trade committee wrote to the Deputy Prime Minister outlining all of the adverse impacts of CUSMA on softwood lumber, and how CUSMA does nothing to prevent the United States from applying anti-dumping and countervailing duties to Canadian softwood lumber.

Does the minister regret not negotiating softwood lumber into CUSMA?

[Mary Ng, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Madam Chair, we have reiterated to the U.S. at every opportunity that a negotiated agreement is possible and in the best interests of both countries. I look forward to continuing to work with United States on this matter.

[Tracy Gray, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

Madam Chair, what is the game plan now?

[Mary Ng, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Madam Chair, our work has been consistent in standing up for the interest of Canada's forestry sector and the workers that it employs and working with the—

[The Assistant Deputy Chair, Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

The hon. member for Kelowna—Lake Country.

[Tracy Gray, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

Madam Chair, on a different topic, does the government support Taiwan joining the CPTPP?

[Mary Ng, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Madam Chair, the CPTPP is a high-standard agreement that welcomes accession for economies and countries who wish to meet the high standards of the CPTPP, and those decisions are made by the CPTPP member countries together.