Debates of May 5th, 2026

Opposition Motion—Measures to Support the Manufacturing Sector

[Carlos Leitão, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to take part in the debate on the Bloc Québécois motion concerning U.S. tariffs on Canadian aluminum, steel and copper.

We are at a critical juncture for Canada's future. Canada's thriving steel and aluminum industries are facing unprecedented tariffs. The adjustments made by the U.S. on April 6, 2026, to its tariffs on products containing steel, aluminum or copper risk undermining our advanced industrial capacity and our critical supply chains across Canada, and particularly in Quebec and Ontario. The revised tariff measures have significantly increased the burden on many manufacturers by applying duties to the total value of the product rather than just its metal content.

The impact of these changes will likely be felt more strongly in products where metal makes up a significant part of the weight relative to the value of the good. Companies operating in Canada-U.S. integrated manufacturing networks will be the hardest hit, particularly when contracts are fixed, margins are thin, and short-term adjustments are difficult, if not impossible, to make. In these situations, the tariff burden will rise sharply and put immediate pressure on business viability.

Many of the affected companies are now facing an immediate cash flow problem and cannot adapt quickly enough to absorb these costs. In fact, I believe that this tariff rate makes it nearly impossible for these companies to absorb these costs.

The potential impact of these changes is not limited to direct producers of metals or metal derivatives. A wide variety of products are affected, and they are part of the broader industrial supply chains within critical Canadian manufacturing activities. This potential disruption could have a substantially negative impact on the Canadian economy. I quite like the expression used by my colleague, the member for Joliette—Manawan, who said that U.S. tariff policy has shifted from targeted measures to blanket measures. I think that is where we are now.

Consequently, the Government of Canada is working with urgency to transform our strategic industries so they can adapt, compete and win in this new global environment. To this end, the government has launched a $1-billion support program for industries that manufacture and export products containing steel, aluminum or copper. Administered directly by the Business Development Bank of Canada, or BDC, the program will offer loans to affected businesses that make significant use of these metals in their production.

The BDC program will therefore provide financing at favourable terms to allow businesses to address immediate pressures. The bank will also offer the industry a new tool to transform and adapt to future market conditions and opportunities. The BDC will offer working capital loans scaled to fit the size of businesses and their needs, from $2 million up to $50 million, with repayment conditions at preferential rates over 36 months.

It is important to remember that, for the first year, there will be no obligation to repay the loan. Repayment will not start until after that. In addition, there will be no interest for the first three years; interest will start after that. Interest rates are at preferential rates.

The BDC will focus on businesses that were viable prior to direct exposure to tariff measures in order to give them financial breathing room to weather the temporary cash crunch.

The government expects Canada's financial institutions to continue to work with the businesses as we lean in collectively to support this sector. This new program aligns with the government's priority to provide rapid liquidity to viable businesses facing significant economic challenges as a result of these U.S. tariffs. These tariffs are unjustified, arbitrary and ultimately counterproductive for the Americans themselves, but that is a whole other story.

We are taking concrete action to strengthen Canada's economy by standing behind our steel, aluminum and copper industries. The new measures announced yesterday will protect workers and ensure companies have the tools and financing they need to keep operating, growing, and strengthening all the businesses in Canada. They will also keep production lines running and help our businesses transform and modernize in response to future market conditions.

Canadian steel, aluminum and copper manufacturers are resilient. Our workers are qualified and well trained. Our businesses are ready to compete on the world stage with the right support. Through these investments, the Government of Canada is standing shoulder to shoulder with Canadian businesses and workers. This is not just a response. It is an integral part of Canada's economic industrial strategy. In the short term, we will be providing liquidity to support and stabilize our businesses. In the medium term, we will be helping them adapt and pivot to be more competitive internationally.

I would now like to take a moment to briefly review what we are already doing. We offer not only emergency assistance, but also the resources and policies needed to support businesses so they can look beyond their current operations, diversify, and explore other markets. Last year, on Montreal's south shore, GE Vernova in Sorel received government support to secure public contracts for its very large turbines used for electricity generation. This is a very concrete example of how the Canadian government can support innovative companies that are gaining an increasing share of the Canadian market. Not far from there, the Hitachi Energy plant in Varennes also received government support to not only modernize but also ramp up production of its very large transformers, which are also vital to our power grid.

We help and support Canadian and Quebec businesses that want to expand, compete in new markets and gain a larger market share. In this vein, the expansion of the Port of Montreal in Contrecoeur will gain significant momentum. Moreover, the construction of the port itself will create jobs in the region. Once construction is complete, the increased capacity of the Port of Montreal will open up opportunities for other Canadian and Quebec-based companies, especially those located near Contrecoeur, to gain faster access to foreign markets, particularly European markets.

Getting back to our Bloc Québécois colleagues' motion, let us look at the first point: That the House condemn the imposition of new United States tariffs that came into force on April 6, 2026, as contrary to the principles of free trade. I am sure we all agree on that. By definition, tariffs are contrary to the principles of free trade.

Here is the second point: That the House note that the application of additional tariffs on the full value of products containing steel, aluminum or copper is affecting a growing number of businesses, particularly SMEs.

That is the crux of the issue because a lot of SMEs in Quebec and Ontario specialize in products made with metal precisely because we have primary steel and primary aluminum. They redeveloped the existing metal product manufacturing sector, which was meeting with great success in the North American supply chain.

I will now address the third part of the motion, which we view as a bit problematic. It proposes that the House express concern that this new trade environment will have irreparable effects on the manufacturing sector. Yes, this will have a very serious impact, but I hope we will be able to respond in time to support the industry as it seeks new markets and I hope we can avoid irreparable effects. The manufacturing sector has proven itself to be very resilient. Obviously, the government has a role to play. The Government of Canada has a role to play, as do the governments of Quebec, Ontario and the other provinces, so that we can continue to support businesses in their efforts to diversify. I truly believe that this will pay off in the medium term.

We keep hearing that the situation with the United States not having been resolved yet is a failure on our part. I would like to remind our colleagues that many other countries, including European countries, rushed to sign agreements with the United States. What happened? New tariffs were tacked on European automobiles just last week. The EU thought it had an agreement with the United States, but no, apparently not. In the EU, it is raining new tariffs.

That is why we have been saying for so long that a bad agreement is worse than no agreement at all. That is why we are going to take whatever time is necessary, and no more, to reach the best possible agreement with the U.S., because the goal is to get rid of these tariffs and retain access to the U.S. market. However, we are not going to do so at any cost. We have our limits, after all. Although we are not going to discuss these limits publicly—that would be counterproductive—there are some things we will not do.

Over the longer term, we must relentlessly build a stronger domestic market and penetrate new foreign markets. Canada is not backing down. Together, we are meeting every challenge not out of fear, but to take action, show resilience and demonstrate optimism.

[Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Bloc, Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague on his speech.

I would like to ask him a question, because he did not touch on something that I believe is important. In 2025-26, Canada collected $10 billion through retaliatory tariffs. However, the portion that was redistributed to businesses amounts to just $5.7 billion.

That means that Canada has collected twice as much money as it has distributed to businesses through support measures. In these circumstances, how does my colleague explain the fact that the government is not listening to the industry more and that all the government has to offer is loans? How does he explain the fact that the economic update did not even mention the tariff crisis or the assistance needed for businesses that use steel?

[Carlos Leitão, Liberal, Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC]

Mr. Speaker, there is a wide range of support measures for the various industries. We are not just talking about loans. Many other measures have been put in place since last summer, and we will continue that work. We are working on two parallel tracks. For now, we are working on emergency measures, but, in the medium term, we are also working on more structural measures to diversify markets and capture new ones.

[Vincent Ho, Conservative, Richmond Hill South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal Prime Minister calls himself the master negotiator, yet he changes his tone on the U.S. faster than the weather changes in April. One day he is talking about a rupture, the next day about a mutual success, then a weakness, and now, being stronger together.

Steel tariffs have doubled, lumber tariffs have tripled, and manufacturing tariffs are hitting our workers here at home. However, after all the Liberal rhetoric and illusions, there is still no trade deal after more than a year. At what point are the Liberals going to stop excusing their own failures and admit that the Prime Minister does not have a coherent negotiation strategy at all, that it is just illusions dressed up as diplomacy?

[Carlos Leitão, Liberal, Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC]

Mr. Speaker, obviously I disagree totally with what our colleague just mentioned. In fact right from the start, from the election campaign, our Prime Minister has said, and we repeat it very often, that this was a rupture and that the world as we knew it would no longer be the same. We also kept on saying that a bad deal would be worse than no deal. We stand by those principles.

[Karim Bardeesy, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague has extensive experience in trade, particularly in Europe. We know that efforts to diversify exports are beginning to yield results. Exports to Europe increased by 31% in 2025.

In my colleague's experience, particularly with Portugal and other countries he knows well, what role does diversification play in the steel, aluminum, and copper sectors?

[Carlos Leitão, Liberal, Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC]

Mr. Speaker, our exports to Europe are starting to grow quite rapidly. We have natural resources that Europeans need, but we are now also beginning to see the benefits of the free trade agreement with the European Union.

That agreement was negotiated several years ago, and it took us some time because the various governments, both here and there, did not seem particularly interested in developing this free trade agreement. However, it is beginning to bear fruit. The future for Canadian manufactured goods in Europe is very promising.

[Gabriel Ste-Marie, Bloc, Joliette—Manawan, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the parliamentary secretary for his speech. I welcome the fact that the government is leaving the door open to further support measures should it deem them necessary. We will continue to try to convince it that this is the case.

As for the support program announced yesterday, the government says it is for SMEs with minimum annual sales of $5 million, for a minimum loan of $2 million. Many SMEs are telling us that this is a huge amount of money and some businesses are not that big and have never gotten a loan of more than $1 million.

Would the government consider rethinking the loan program, or even expanding it through other measures? That way, it would cover smaller businesses affected by tariffs as well as businesses that supply companies exporting to the United States.

[Carlos Leitão, Liberal, Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC]

Mr. Speaker, that is indeed the case. In fact, regional development agencies are already doing this. Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions has just received additional funding to support SMEs with smaller amounts than that. This will be done through the regional economic development agencies.

[Helena Konanz, Conservative, Similkameen—South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the member's comments, but what does he think about the forestry sector?

Thousands of jobs have been lost and businesses are closing.

What is the status of the negotiations for the forestry sector?

[Carlos Leitão, Liberal, Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC]

Mr. Speaker, it is true that the forestry sector, whether in Quebec, New Brunswick, Ontario or British Columbia, is suffering a great deal.

As we certainly know, the problems in the forestry sector are a little different from those in the manufacturing sector. This trade dispute has been going on for a very long time. Nevertheless, we remain fully committed to reaching a negotiated agreement with the United States, specifically on forestry products. The negotiations are moving forward.

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

Mr. Speaker, I really appreciated my colleague's comment that Canada needs to get the best deal, the best trade agreement, with the United States. At times the Conservatives and the Bloc say they want this deal. Gee whiz, we all want a deal. The issue is getting the best deal for Canadians. That is why I appreciated the member's comments.

Could the member expand on why it is important that we get the best deal by not rushing to get just any type of deal? It involves a great deal of negotiation, and we have to be prepared to wait it out in order to achieve that best deal. I wonder if he could provide some further comment with respect to how important that is to Canada's economy.

[Carlos Leitão, Liberal, Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC]

Mr. Speaker, yes, it is hugely important, because our objective is not just to get rid of the tariffs, which is important enough, obviously. We also want to have a comprehensive trade agreement, which we do. CUSMA is still in place. We want to reinforce that agreement and make sure it prevails.

Second, we want to put an end to the tariffs that have been illegally imposed on a country that has signed a trade agreement with the United States. That is where we are. That is why it is so important. We cannot remain vulnerable to having tariffs imposed at any time, for any reason. That makes absolutely no sense. The tariffs are ultimately illegal and counterproductive.

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, what we are hearing today is really something. The parliamentary secretary is telling us that we should not rush into an agreement. However, we were told in April 2025 that there was a deadline. The Prime Minister himself said that the tariff issue would be resolved by June 2025. He then extended the deadline to July and then again to September.

If what my colleague says is true, that would mean that the promises that were made at the time should never have been made. Does my colleague agree that the government should never have promised Quebeckers and Canadians that the tariff crisis would be resolved in April and that this promise has not been kept?

[Carlos Leitão, Liberal, Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC]

Mr. Speaker, what we have said from the outset is that the world we knew before and our relationship with the United States have changed for good. We said that this was not just a minor, temporary situation, that it was a major change and that we would get the best deal possible. That is what we always try to do.

[Jason Groleau, Conservative, Beauce, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time.

It is a pleasure, a privilege and an honour for me to stand before this House to represent and defend the interests of the people of Beauce.

I am rising today to condemn the Prime Minister's inaction in response to U.S. tariffs. The Prime Minister was elected on a promise to quickly resolve the issue with the Americans. Since then, nothing has been resolved. Worse still, the tariffs have doubled. The unjustified tariffs imposed by the United States have caused economic chaos for all Canadian communities from coast to coast to coast, and especially in my region, Beauce, the capital of entrepreneurship.

The impact is real. Our workers, our businesses and our families are being hit hard. Let us be clear: every day these U.S. tariffs remain in place, jobs are lost, businesses are closing and others are at risk. The steel, lumber, and manufacturing sectors—such as garage door and furniture manufacturing—are particularly vulnerable and at risk. While our regions suffer, this Liberal government is showing a glaring lack of leadership in defending Canada and in initiating formal negotiations with the Americans to achieve results.

The Prime Minister likes to talk about a tariff war, but all he does is announce temporary measures. At the end of the day, these are nothing more than band-aid solutions. There has been no progress in seven months. That is insane. The Prime Minister has no interest in tackling the root of the problem, which are the U.S. tariffs, nor is he taking the time to do so.

I invite the Prime Minister to come visit Beauce and see what businesses are going through. Let him come see the workers who are losing their jobs. The Prime Minister is deliberately refusing to negotiate with the Americans. It makes no sense.

My message to the Prime Minister is simple: The U.S. tariffs are a harsh reality. They are killing jobs, forcing businesses to close, and taking a toll on families. Once again, it is business owners and families who are being hit hard. Our businesses are suffering. Yet again, this is the result of a lack of leadership, a glaring lack of action, and an outright abandonment of our businesses by the Prime Minister.

Along the U.S. border in Beauce, the impact is even more severe. Some businesses generate 90% of their sales from exports to the United States. The government is just tinkering as it goes. It lends money; it provides subsidies. However, the people and businesses of Beauce do not want government money; they do not want to depend on the government. Instead, they want the government to give them the tools to make their products. They are proud people, but they do not have the tools. The government says it wants a fair deal with the Americans, but it is not even talking to them. It is not even taking the time to speak with them. This is unacceptable. This government is lacking leadership.

As I mentioned, every day that this tariff war continues, jobs are being lost and businesses are relocating. Local businesses are relocating and sending their contracts to the United States. That is what is happening. This was supposed to be resolved a year ago, but the government keeps putting it off and doing nothing. Once again, this is a lack of leadership.

I recently had the opportunity to visit Garaga, a local company and the largest garage door manufacturer in Canada and North America. It is a real jewel in our community.

The new section 232 tariffs on steel, which have applied as of early April, have quite simply made Canadian manufacturers uncompetitive, with total tariffs of 50% on finished products. It is also important to consider the exchange rate and finished products. The government has not implemented any measures on imports from Indonesia. These imports are coming in to the tune of $600 million. The Americans, however, have done so.

We have no tools to work with. We are not competitive. Our manufacturers have the necessary resilience, but negotiations must move forward. I met with Canada's ambassador to the United States last week. It has been seven months since talks have happened. Someone needs to explain that to me. The reality is clear. People in Canada and in Beauce do not want or need temporary measures. They do not want band-aid solutions. They want a negotiated agreement. I cannot express that enough.

They want a level playing field for businesses and predictability from the government to help them maintain their productivity and competitiveness.

Again, during the election campaign, the Prime Minister claimed he was the leader best equipped to deal with the U.S. President and protect our interests. Now the tariffs have doubled. Let him go explain that to South Shore Furniture in Sainte-Croix. It does not matter. The Prime Minister declared that the Americans have become our weakness. Let us go explain that to the people who lost their jobs at South Shore Furniture. That is 126 workers. At Domtar in Baie-Comeau, 186 workers lost their jobs. Let the Prime Minister go explain that the Americans are our weakness. The Americans will always be our biggest financial partners in exports.

I am all for developing new markets. That is great. However, I have enough experience to know that new markets will not pay off for another 10 or 20 years. We need to make progress today. Today, that means focusing on the United States.

This raises the following question: Why are we not actively engaged in negotiations with our largest trading partner? Hundreds of thousands of jobs are on the line. Some of our finest companies are fighting for their survival. Families are being hit hard. I will say it again: The negotiators have not spoken in seven months.

The government lacks leadership on this file. I have talked about this: For India, it is 650 million dollars' worth of imports. Our steelworkers are not being protected. There are also 193 million dollars' worth of imports from Indonesia.

The problem is only in Canada. Negotiations between Mexico and the United States are going quite well. Meanwhile, Canada is sitting on the sidelines. I would like someone to explain that to me. It is deliberate. Avoiding these negotiations is unacceptable.

The Prime Minister claims to be the right man for the job, but his actions say otherwise. I invite him to come to Beauce to talk with the workers who have lost their jobs, the people at the businesses on the verge of experiencing difficulties, the businesses that are once again going to send their production abroad. At a press conference in Beauce last week, one of them, a prized local business, told me that if this continues, the business will move its jobs from Beauce to the United States. That is sad.

It is sad that this government is not taking action. It is sad that all this government is doing is making announcements, not taking action. It is not tackling the root of the problem: the U.S. tariffs. As I have said, the exchange rate is the reason we are not competitive. Every day, the government says it is helping our businesses. Loans do not help businesses; they hurt them. One need not have spent 30 years in business to know that. If businesses take out more loans, they will eventually have trouble paying them back. They will not be profitable.

The ambassador says he is ready to negotiate, and the U.S. says it is ready, so why are they not calling each other? He says he has their number, so why is he not sending them a message?

Our businesses are suffering because of these threats, and they have had enough. Why is the government not taking steps to protect our steel sector? The government is offering band-aid solutions while our global competitors are protecting their markets aggressively. This government's response is a day late and a dollar short. Let me be clear: The Liberal government is still deliberately choosing to delay negotiations with the United States, and that is unacceptable.

Our constituents expect us, as members, to stand up for them, not our own personal interests. That is why we are here: to stand up for our constituents. The government's job is to stand up for them and reach an agreement with the Americans. Canadians expect their government to be at the negotiating table, to fight for them, day in and day out, until the agreement is signed.

In closing, I urge the Liberal Prime Minister to show leadership and stand up for Canada's interests on this issue.

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague from Beauce comes from a region that has indeed been hard hit by the current situation, but also by the government's failure to respond. My colleague mentioned the proposals put forward by the opposition parties in good faith to improve the situation quickly.

Does my colleague support the Bloc Québécois's proposal to immediately and quickly establish a wage subsidy mechanism for businesses affected by the current illegal U.S. tariffs?

[Jason Groleau, Conservative, Beauce, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Lac‑Saint‑Jean, an incredible region that I visited last week with my children for a tournament.

In my opinion, this is just another band-aid solution. I am repeating myself, but we do not need band-aid solutions or temporary measures. We need permanent measures. There is only one permanent measure, and it involves sitting down with the government, negotiating in good faith and resolving the tariff situation.

[Karim Bardeesy, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, I like that my colleague from Beauce shares stories about businesses in his riding, including the ones we heard at meetings of the Standing Committee on Industry and Technology. I think that all of us on both sides of the House agree that we want the best deal possible. On this side of the House, we believe that a bad deal is worse than no deal.

My colleague called on us to propose concrete measures, so I have a question for him about two concrete measures that we have proposed. First, there is the buy Canadian policy and second, there is the additional $500 million for the regional tariff response initiative. Are these concrete measures not a response to the challenge mentioned by my colleague?

[Jason Groleau, Conservative, Beauce, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I agree that no one wants a bad deal. However, if a mouse pesters an elephant, the elephant will end up stomping on the mouse. What happened? The tariffs doubled. Why? It is because they did not have a discussion.

The government can take all the measures it wants and negotiate deals all over the world, but that is not going to fix the real problem, which is that our biggest trade deal will always be with the U.S. The government needs to sit down, pick up the phone, call the White House and get a deal.

[Kurt Holman, Conservative, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Mr. Speaker, earlier, the member for Winnipeg North said negotiations take time. As the representative for London—Fanshawe, we have a large manufacturing base. These tariffs are hitting Canada, and especially my riding, hard. My concern is what I should tell my constituents who have to line up at the food bank and are now in the unemployment line in the manufacturing sectors, especially the auto sector, which has been hit hard by the tariffs.

I wonder if my hon. colleague could expand on how the tariffs are hurting his riding as much as they are hurting London—Fanshawe.

[Jason Groleau, Conservative, Beauce, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my esteemed colleague.

As I mentioned earlier, my riding is on the U.S. border. We have lived alongside the U.S. for decades. Some of the companies in my riding do 90% of their total business, not just exports, on the other side of the tariffs. We are right up against the border. It is like the bridge here between Ottawa and Gatineau. My colleague needs to understand that we have been physically dealing with the U.S. for years. That is why our businesses are hurting so much.

As I said earlier, the people of Beauce do not want money. They do not want to be dependent on the government. They want this government to step up and show leadership. They want it to call our U.S. counterparts, sit down with them and negotiate a win-win deal.

[Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Bloc, Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate my colleague on his speech.

I have a question for him. When we hear the Prime Minister say things like “Who cares?” in response to a question about tariffs, and when we hear that this subject does not keep him up at night, what does that tell my colleague about the Prime Minister's attitude and his apparent lack of interest, even though it is such a priority for so many people?

[Jason Groleau, Conservative, Beauce, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague was kind enough to flatter me a bit, so I will calm down before answering.

The PM said “Who cares?” and stated that our ties to America “have become weaknesses”. It is remarkable how many people come up to me and say that this is ridiculous. The focus should not be on China, but rather on the Americans.

[Shelby Kramp-Neuman, Conservative, Hastings—Lennox and Addington—Tyendinaga, ON]

Mr. Speaker, before I start, I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge that, today, May 5, is Red Dress Day, when Canadians and our indigenous partners acknowledge, honour and learn about the epidemic of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls in Canada. I would like to thank the advocates from coast to coast to coast for their advocacy and teaching on this matter. I would especially like to thank the member for Winnipeg Centre for her efforts in bringing the issue into the public consciousness and into this chamber.

I am happy to rise today to speak to the Bloc Québécois motion condemning the United States' unfair and unjustifiable tariffs on Canada and, as the motion states, Quebec. I will lead with one comment. I was fairly certain that this motion, which was tabled the Friday prior to the government's announcement yesterday, would be a castoff. I suspect that the only questions and speeches we will hear from the government are about how the $1.5 billion announced yesterday is going to magically fix billions of dollars in lost tariffs. However, I am happy for any opportunity to speak to the broader issue of the source of this malaise: tariffs.

Yes, the Liberals announced something. Granted, it took over one year, but the point still remains. The issue here is that people do not want a handout. They do not want a band-aid. They want a deal, and patience is wearing thin.

Being in constant conversation with the affected industries, I want to thank all members in this place for the pan-partisan support the affected industries and, more importantly, their workers have received from all parties in this place during this trade war. It is always good to be reminded that although we may have differing views on the best path, generally speaking, this place has the same goals in mind.

I have to imagine that the vast majority of members in this place have at one point or another met with local industries in their ridings that are part of the downstream from the three specific industries mentioned in the motion from my colleague from Joliette—Manawan: steel, copper and aluminum. Of course, these punitive tariffs affect far more than just these three industries, but they are by and large the major targets in this current trade war.

The very unfortunate reality is that these protectionist attacks on Canadian workers are working.

The government has been extremely clear. It is the negotiator, and it does not want any help. Canadians may not know this, but this is in sharp contrast to previous trade negotiations with the U.S., when the previous government was more than happy to march hand in hand with the opposition down to Washington, where we remained a silent but willing partner to help the government do what was best for Canada. That is the government's prerogative, as is the self-described slow approach, but this brings pitfalls. However, given the Liberals' current polling, the pitfalls are not for them.

It is no secret that the U.S. administration's actions in this situation have broadly galvanized the average Canadian into a patriotic fever, granting a wide breadth to the current government and propelling the Liberals in the polls. The voting public is, by and large, content with the Prime Minister's approach. This is what the polls tell us. I am not here to argue with the pollsters, but I am here to talk about the element that is never brought up in the various community Facebook groups or at the coffee tables of the nation, which is the unseen, unspoken victims of this approach.

According to Statistics Canada, “iron and steel mills and ferro-alloy manufacturing (-19.1%) recorded its steepest decline since April 2020, coinciding with lower exports of steel products, as the US tariffs on Canadian steel imports doubled to 50% at the beginning of June.” To reiterate, the last time steel took this big a hit globally, trade shut down. The economic equivalent of the current U.S. tariffs on the Canadian industry is a once-in-a-century global pandemic, which brought global trade to its knees.

This is the economic reality of Canadian trade. Pre-tariffs, 80% of exports went to the United States. Nearly $1 trillion in trade flowed annually across our borders. Now, hundreds of thousands of Canadians employed in the industry are affected in one way or another by trade between two of the longest and strongest allies the world has ever seen.

The Prime Minister did not start this trade war, and his predecessor did not start this trade war, but he can end it. Every day this trade war drags on, it costs Canadians jobs and hammers our economy. I am not asking the Prime Minister to take any old deal. I am asking him to start negotiating for a serious resolution to this dispute. He has the political capital to wait. Canadian workers and families do not.

I want to finish off by thanking the various industry associations, manufacturers, unions and workers for their work. They have tirelessly raised the various issues these unjustified and unfair tariffs have brought to their lives. This is a massively convoluted and complex issue that requires pan‑partisan support on both sides of the border to resolve. I will again offer to the government my support, as well as that of my caucus colleagues, to collaborate and co‑operate with them in any way we can, whether at home or abroad.

I mentioned earlier that there was a bit of good luck on the government side that this opposition day motion will give it the opportunity to highlight its recent announcement, but serendipity does not shine exclusively on the government members today. While I do not have the authority to sign off on billions of economic loans or a trade deal yet, we here in the opposition do have other tools at our disposal.

To deflect from its failing trade talks, the government often touts the philosophy of controlling what we can at home, so I took that to heart. Far too many representatives of these industry-critical organizations have told me that they feel left out and ignored by the government. They do not know what is going on in D.C. or in Ottawa and resort to rumours and speculation to field some sense of understanding. To be clear, this is coming not only from the mom-and-pop shops in Bancroft but also from national and international industry associations headquartered in Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, New York and Washington. This is a sin being committed by administrations on both sides of the border.

As a result, next month, in conjunction with my colleagues from la belle nation de Québec, I am joining a series of round tables in numerous Quebec cities and towns that are directly affected by the tariffs on steel, aluminum, copper and softwood lumber. It is my responsibility, and I am humbled to be invited to visit with Québécois workers and industry leaders up and down the St. Lawrence River, from major urban centres to humble regional industrial hubs, to talk to affected workers, en français, of the very real effects the U.S. tariffs have had on Canadian strategic resources.

I want to finish with one final comment. Frustrations on both sides of the border are extremely clear, whether it is with our own administration or each other's. I share many of them, but we must remember that the relationship between Canada and the United States is forged in fire and bounded by blood. It is among, if it is not the, single strongest relationship between any two nations in the world today.

To close, I want to selectively re-enter into Hansard something that was spoken in this very place 68 years ago by President Dwight D. Eisenhower when he addressed Parliament:

...change is the law of life and of relations between nations. When two great peoples such as ours, energetic and optimistic, live side by side in all the diversity that freedom offers, change is rapid and brings in its wake problems, sometimes frictions.

...by mutual respect, understanding and with good will we can find acceptable solutions to any problems which exist or may arise between us....

There must never be a final word between friends.