Debates of June 10th, 2025

Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26

[François-Philippe Champagne, Liberal, Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC]

Madam Chair, my colleague knows full well that things move quickly where tariffs are concerned. That is why I told him that we had already collected $1.7 billion.

We want to be clear that our objective is to fight for an end to tariffs. Then there would be no need for retaliatory measures. My colleague understands that well. That is why we said we would reinvest everything we collect in defending our workers and our industries.

[Jean-Denis Garon, Bloc, Mirabel, QC]

Madam Chair, can the minister confirm for me that the Liberal campaign platform proposed to use this $20 billion for operating expenses, not for ad hoc programs to help workers and businesses?

[François-Philippe Champagne, Liberal, Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC]

Madam Chair, I am pleased to see that my Bloc Québécois colleague has spent enough time reading the Liberal platform for it to inspire him. I encourage him to continue his reading.

Clearly, what we said was that we were going to fight these tariffs, protect our industry workers and build a strong Canada.

[Jean-Denis Garon, Bloc, Mirabel, QC]

Madam Chair, the minister says it is false that a large part of the retaliatory measures against the U.S. tariffs have been suspended. Contrary to what Oxford Economics says, the Department of Finance has not submitted any documents and there is no evidence to support its claim.

Does the minister think that publicly squabbling with consulting firms that are trying to help their clients contributes to predictability and a good business climate in Canada?

[François-Philippe Champagne, Liberal, Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC]

Madam Chair, it is common knowledge that we have retaliatory measures in place against the tariffs imposed by the United States targeting $95 billion worth of imported goods. I know my colleague, in his heart, wants to support us in fighting against these U.S. tariffs so we can protect our industries and, at the same time, build a strong Canada together.

[Maninder Sidhu, Liberal, Minister of International Trade]

Madam Chair, as this is my first time rising for a speech in this House, I would like to take a moment to thank my incredible team of volunteers, my family and, of course, the residents of Brampton East for their support and for putting their trust in me to serve them here in Ottawa. I would also like to take a moment to congratulate all members of this House on their recent election wins. I look forward to working across party lines as we support Canadians from coast to coast to coast.

Prior to politics, I spent 13 years facilitating international trade with businesses across Canada, and I have seen first-hand the impacts that international trade can have on jobs in communities across Canada. The four years I have spent at Global Affairs Canada have strengthened my relationships with international partners as I take on this new role as Canada's Minister of International Trade. It was truly the honour of a lifetime to be appointed to this new role a few weeks back, and I am grateful to the Prime Minister for his trust in me in this vital role, especially at a time of great uncertainty in global trade.

First and foremost, I want to assure members of the House that this new government stands ready to defend Canada's interests. We will do what is best for Canadians and we will do what is best for the Canadian economy. That means supporting businesses and jobs here in Canada across various sectors as they expand into new markets around the world. We have what the world needs.

This commitment extends to Canada's international trade agenda. Canada is very fortunate to have 15 trade agreements with over 50 countries around the world, giving us access to over 1.5 billion consumers.

The new government will take a bold and ambitious approach to meet the needs of the moment, while remaining clear-eyed about our objectives for resilient growth. Establishing a new economic relationship with the United States is a priority. The United States is Canada's top export market, and Canada is a top destination for U.S. exports. A renewed framework for strong trade and commercial partnership is vital to prosperity on both sides of the border, and I look forward to supporting my colleague Minister LeBlanc as he advances discussions on this with our American counterparts.

[The Deputy Chair, Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

The member knows not to use any names.

The hon. minister.

[Maninder Sidhu, Liberal, Brampton East, ON]

Madam Chair, I look forward to working with the Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade as he advances discussions on this with our American counterparts.

At the same time, Canada is ready to strengthen our trading relationships overseas, especially with partners who share our commitment to rules-based trade. Trade diversification is not just about avoiding the risks that come from relying too much on certain markets. It is also about helping us reach our full potential and positioning ourselves for success in tomorrow's global economy.

Take, for example, the Indo-Pacific region. This region includes nations such as Brunei, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia and many others. The Indo-Pacific is home to over four billion people and $47 trillion in economic activity. It is the world's fastest-growing region and home to six of Canada's top 13 trading partners. As a country, we cannot afford to forego opportunities for growth in overseas markets around the world.

Canada remains committed to pursuing an ambitious trade agenda that opens new doors for our businesses and workers. Our new government will pursue trade agreements with the potential to open new opportunities and new markets for Canadian companies. These markets will give Canadian businesses opportunities to grow and succeed around the world.

We will continue to push forward with negotiations for a free trade agreement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. This is a dynamic group of 10 countries representing more than 600 million people. For Canadian businesses, that means access to a vast and growing market, with opportunities across a wide range of sectors. Canada's trade and investment in Southeast Asia are expanding quickly across many sectors, including in natural resources, clean technologies, agriculture and agri-food, information and communication technologies, financial services, aerospace infrastructure and consumer goods.

In addition, late last year, Canada concluded negotiations toward the Canada-Indonesia comprehensive economic partnership agreement, better known as CEPA. Indonesia is a fast-growing economy, and this agreement will put Canadian companies in a strong position to compete and succeed as Indonesia continues to grow. We look forward to bringing these new partnerships into force soon.

We will also look to strengthen our relationships with European partners. The Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, also known as CETA, the free trade agreement in place between Canada and Europe, has already accelerated trade and investment between us and the European Union. We will keep working to further strengthen these transatlantic ties and ensure more opportunities for Canadians.

While we look to expand and sign new agreements, we also must not forget that we have much more room to grow our utilization rates for our current trade agreements. Take, for example, CETA, which I previously mentioned. At this moment, our utilization rate is around 60%, and we can get that much higher. That tells us there are opportunities out there for growth, and I will sharply focus on showcasing Canadian expertise in multiple sectors in the region. They include agriculture, fishing, food products, consumer goods, energy, defence and aerospace.

Building these international connections is key to expanding our reach and realizing the full benefits of these agreements. That is why it was a great privilege for me to represent Canada in Ecuador at the inauguration of President Noboa just a couple of weeks ago. While there, I focused on strengthening the relationships that will help both our countries implement and benefit from the free trade agreement we negotiated and concluded recently. I also had the opportunity to connect with regional leaders to strengthen ties between our respective nations.

Our new government will ensure that Canadian companies are well supported as they pursue new opportunities in overseas markets, including those created by Canada's free trade agreements. Team Canada trade missions will be a part of this effort. In recent times, trade missions have introduced nearly 800 Canadian organizations to new partners and opportunities in nine Indo-Pacific markets. They have generated over 4,000 business meetings, and they have led to concrete outcomes for Canadian companies, many of which I visited.

I would like to congratulate Canada's chief trade commissioner on leading the most recent team Canada trade mission to Thailand and Cambodia in May. This was an opportunity to showcase Canadian innovation and capabilities in fast-growing markets. In seeking out new opportunities overseas, Canadian businesses will be able to count on the support of Canada's trade commissioner service. Based in over 160 locations, Canada's trade commissioners provide tailored and practical advice to help businesses make the best decisions in their international business development.

The trade commissioner service has offices all over Canada and the world, connecting real Canadian businesses with opportunities in other markets. This navigation is crucial to breaking down trade barriers for these businesses. Over 98% of businesses in Canada are small businesses, and we need to do whatever we can to support them.

In terms of impact, I will let the numbers for last year speak for themselves. The trade commissioner service served over 10,000 Canadian clients. Let me highlight the fact that 80% of the services were for markets outside of North America. The trade commissioner service facilitated 1,300 business deals. Clients estimate the value of these deals to be over $6 billion. What is more is that the trade commissioner service boasts a client satisfaction rate of over 90%. The trade commissioner service also administers the CanExport program, which includes about $38 million approved last year to help over 1,700 small and mid-sized businesses enter new export markets.

The new government will ensure that the trade commissioner service has the right tools and resources to continue providing effective support to Canadian companies as they look to diversify abroad. Trade diversification also means helping under-represented groups such as women, youth, indigenous peoples, visible minorities and 2SLGBTQ2+ entrepreneurs reach new markets. Canada's trade commissioner service is there to support members of these groups along their export journey, in collaboration with EDC and other partners.

The new government will also provide the necessary policy direction to other partners in the trade portfolio. This includes Canada's export credit agency, Export Development Canada, better known as EDC. I am also pleased to report that EDC is continuing to help drive Canada's diversification. The corporation served over 1,500 customers and facilitated $13 billion in business in the Indo-Pacific region, just last year. EDC has also opened new representation in Japan, Vietnam and Philippines and served over 1,500 clients, as I said, with $13 billion in trade in the Indo-Pacific.

The new government is committed to supporting businesses in expanding and diversifying their trade in markets around the world. Fortunately, we have a real advantage. I know that Canada is home to some of the most driven and competitive entrepreneurs, innovators and workers on the planet. Every day, they are out there building, creating and pushing themselves in new directions. That is why this government will make sure that we do everything possible to help them realize their full potential on the global stage by building up new opportunities and encouraging trade diversification.

I would also like to take a moment to thank all of the officials, including my deputy minister, for all their support in making sure that businesses are able to diversify trade. Together, we can make Canada the G7-leading economy.

[Arielle Kayabaga, Liberal, London West, ON]

Madam Chair, I would like to take the time to congratulate the minister for his new role. As someone who has worked with him on the Canada-Africa file, it is very nice to see the role that he is taking in advancing trade for Canada.

I have some questions for the minister. As the Prime Minister received a mandate to make sure that we can establish new trading partners around the world and build new economic and security relationships, can the minister tell this House how free trade agreements come to fruition and how we can create well-paying jobs both here in Canada and abroad through trade missions?

[Maninder Sidhu, Liberal, Brampton East, ON]

Madam Chair, that is a very important question around trade agreements and why they are important to our economy.

Currently, Canada has 15 trade agreements, opening access to over 50 countries and 1.5 billion consumers. When we sign a trade agreement, it is not only about trade; it is also about investments, so that sends a clear signal to Canadian investors and Canadian expertise to create jobs in communities across Canada. It is very important to note how many trade agreements we have and how much more room we have to grow those trade agreements.

[Arielle Kayabaga, Liberal, London West, ON]

Madam Chair, I appreciate the minister's answer. As I said earlier, I have had the opportunity to work with him on different files, including the Canada-Africa file. I know that the minister has extensive experience as a parliamentarian as the parliamentary secretary for trade in the past.

I just want him to talk about what is the importance of the role of engaging all parliamentarians in advancing trade and how they can also bring that back home to their communities and engage with stakeholders in that way.

[Maninder Sidhu, Liberal, Brampton East, ON]

Madam Chair, that is a very important question from my colleague.

Canada is very lucky to have a diverse group of citizens from all around the world who help bring relationships together. In my community of Brampton, we have a growing African diaspora, including Kenyans and those from Nigeria, who are coming together and really pushing trade.

I was actually in Kenya last year, where we talked about some of the relationships that we can grow and some of the opportunities around clean technology and sustainable energy. The diaspora across Canada, from different regions around the world, plays an important role in bringing trade together and really expanding our relationships.

[Arielle Kayabaga, Liberal, London West, ON]

Madam Chair, part of the minister's mandate is also to find new partners amidst these unjustified and illegal U.S. tariffs that we have experienced as a country. I saw that the minister was recently in Ecuador to participate in the inauguration of the president. Maybe the minister can expand on why that was important and how creating that corridor of conversations and discussion could actually lead to good-paying jobs in Canada and Ecuador as well.

[Maninder Sidhu, Liberal, Brampton East, ON]

Madam Chair, I got sworn in, and in my very first week we were running out the door and making sure we are representing this country really well. I attended the inauguration of President Noboa. Ecuador is an important market for us, roughly 20 million people. We have marked the conclusion of negotiations on a trade agreement that will be coming to Parliament for ratification very soon.

There are regional partners we want to work with, so it was important for me to attend that inauguration to connect with regional leaders. We know, especially when we talk about Mercosur and our mandate letter, that there are many opportunities in the region that we want to continue to grow.

[Arielle Kayabaga, Liberal, London West, ON]

Madam Chair, the minister mentioned earlier that he has four years' experience with Global Affairs Canada. He was a parliamentarian before he became a minister, and he knows, through his mandate, how important it is to work with all members of this House.

The minister was elected under the same mandate that we were all elected under, and the Prime Minister gave him the mandate of creating new trade partners across Canada. How is he going to engage all of us to make sure that we can go back to our ridings and respond to the mandate that we were given by our electors?

[Maninder Sidhu, Liberal, Brampton East, ON]

Madam Chair, I thank my colleague for that very important question about working with all parliamentarians. It is about working with committees. It is about working to grow existing trade relationships, but also creating new ones. In working together, working with ambassadors in this country and working with committees, it is very important that we all play a role, because trade impacts all of our communities. One in six jobs depends on trade.

It is very important that we continue working together as parliamentarians through committees and through our relationships to grow trade.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Madam Chair, I am very encouraged, as I know the minister is, with regard to the Prime Minister's attitude in terms of ways we can explore trade opportunities. I had the opportunity to actually visit the Philippines last year, in 2024, on two separate occasions. One was to open up an agri-food office and the other was a trade mission.

One of the biggest advantages Canada has is its diversity, and the Philippines is a great example of that. I wonder if the minister could provide his thoughts on how we can explore opportunities for trade abroad.

[Maninder Sidhu, Liberal, Minister of International Trade]

Yes, Madam Chair, the Philippines provides ample opportunities. Earlier today, I met with leaders from the agriculture sector who talked about the agriculture office that we opened in Manila, Philippines, and the type of opportunities that office is providing. Now we see more of our beef going to that region and more of our meat products going to the Philippines.

It is an important region that we want to continue to build on, and of course the Filipino community in Winnipeg plays a crucial role in growing those relationships.

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Madam Chair, does the minister know how many Ontarians regularly used a food bank in 2015?

[François-Philippe Champagne, Liberal, Minister of Finance and National Revenue]

Madam Chair, the member would appreciate that by reducing taxes, we are helping all Canadians. The measure we just announced will help 22 million Canadians.

[The Deputy Chair, Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

The hon. member has to indicate how he will be sharing his time.

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Madam Chair, I am splitting my time three ways.

The answer is, 353,000 Ontarians regularly used the food bank in 2015.

How many Ontarians are regularly using the food bank as of today?

[François-Philippe Champagne, Liberal, Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC]

Madam Chair, my colleague will be pleased to learn that the tax cut we have offered is going to help 22 million Canadians, and obviously a number of Ontarians. I am happy he voted in favour of that particular—

[The Deputy Chair, Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

The hon. member.

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Madam Chair, the answer to that question is one million.

Over a decade of your government, you being a minister, the number of people in Ontario who regularly use a food bank has tripled. It has gone up by almost 700,000. Will you apologize to those 700,000 Ontarians who now must go to a food bank to put food on their table as a result of your government?