Mr. Chair, nine months have passed, and there is still no deal. Self-imposed deadlines have been missed. Regardless of the political narratives, there is no question that the current tension between Ottawa and Washington is not on stable footing. For years, experts have warned that the Canadian auto sector was vulnerable to shifts in American policy and global competition. Despite this, we have seen no meaningful contingency planning or phased market expansion.
My question for the member is this: Why did the government fail to prepare the auto industry for disruptions or to open additional markets before actually getting to this crisis point?