Mr. Chair, I will be sharing my time.
Let me start off by indicating just how important the automotive industry is not only to the province of Ontario but to all of Canada. No matter what region of the country one lives in, it has, if not a direct impact, an indirect impact. I recognize that, at the end of the day, the Prime Minister and the ministers responsible for this particular file very much care about what is happening in the industry and in the lives of families that are affected by the types of things we are seeing take place in the automobile industry in Canada. Let there be no doubt about that.
I am hoping that in the take-note debate, we will hear some positive thoughts and recommendations and that it will be more than just slamming the government or being overly political. Let us hear the generation of ideas.
Let me set the framework. The automotive industry plays a significant role in the overall exports of our manufacturing industry. The heart of that is in the province of Ontario, but, as I said, it affects so many people throughout the country. I go back to the days when I was in opposition and would talk about the auto pact agreement that Lester B. Pearson brought in and the positive impact of that agreement, which had a willing partner to the south that had a sense of fairness and wanted to advance an industry in the best interests of both Canada and the United States. That is what the auto pact was all about.
The auto pact allowed for Canada and the U.S. to excel in the automobile industry, and the big three were very big. When we look at the automotive industry today, we find that in order to make a car, different parts go back and forth and often get assembled in one country or the other. The auto pact industry is more than just the assembly of a vehicle. It is the building of motors, the provision of parts and the export of parts and, ultimately, even the vehicles themselves.
Canada has benefited immensely, as the United States has, with regard to sharing the responsibility for that industry. It is really important, when we talk about the employees and their families throughout this evening, that we recognize that there is indeed a trade war going on today. That is the reality. No one can just click their heels and say what is going to happen or wave a wand to make the problem go away. It does not work that way.
I believe the Prime Minister and the government need to be patient and persistent. We need to get the best deal we can for Canadians. If that means we have to hold off for a while, then we should. We should not be capitulating. We should recognize that this industry is too important to our nation and we have to take the necessary time to ensure there will be a strong and healthy future for this industry. That is so very important because it is an industry that has done so well over the decades. Not only can it continue to do well but it can grow in the future in terms of the EV market. We see the quality of workmanship every day, whether it is on the assembly line or building the necessary parts to go into the assembly lines. We have world-class workers and families depending on this Parliament to do the best we can. We need to start co-operating more and playing up the importance of the industry.
I would challenge each and every member of the House, no matter what political party they are from, to step up to the plate and talk about the good within the industry.