Debates of Sept. 21st, 2026

International Trade

[Scot Davidson, Conservative, New Tecumseth—Gwillimbury, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Spectra Aluminum in Bradford is facing layoffs and job losses as it deals with 100% stacking American tariffs. The Liberal government has responded by bringing in a countertariff that has raised costs for Canadians, but instead of using that as leverage to stand up for the 80,000 workers in Canadian downstream aluminum manufacturing, the Liberals are letting American firms dodge the tariff, by granting generous remissions.

Why is the Liberal government undercutting the Canadian businesses and workers it is supposed to be protecting?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions]

Mr. Speaker, we believe in the aluminum sector. We believe in the workers. That is why, over the course of the past few days, the colleague and I had the chance to work on specific businesses in his riding that needed support. We will continue to do that, because we need to protect jobs in his riding. We need to make sure that we protect jobs all across this country. That is why, at this point, anyone who is affected by the tariffs should please go on Canada.ca. We have support to keep their employees and operations going.

We will build Canada strong while fighting this trade war.

[Scot Davidson, Conservative, New Tecumseth—Gwillimbury, ON]

Mr. Speaker, they suggest more websites. This is out of touch. This is not building Canada strong. It is weakening our industries. The Liberals' 50% countertariff on aluminum has increased the cost of houses, renovation, cars, appliances and more, while Canadians pay the price. Workers at companies like Spectra are still facing layoffs, still losing orders and still watching American firms get a backdoor pass into the Canadian market.

When will the Prime Minister rise and tell Canadians what the countertariffs are going to cost them?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions]

Mr. Speaker, if my colleague has any example he can give regarding backdoor issues, we should work together. Let us make sure that there is true competition in this country and, meanwhile, that we protect our workers, particularly when it comes to American firms that are affecting our industrial base at a time of a trade war. Let us work together. Let us make sure at the same time that businesses across this country know about our supports. People should go on Canada.ca. We need to get the word out. Every single member of the House should be able to reach out to workers and businesses to make sure that we fight this trade war.

[Michael Guglielmin, Conservative, Vaughan—Woodbridge, ON]

Mr. Speaker, a Desjardins report confirms there is a double tariff shock on manufacturing businesses here in Canada. A business owner in Woodbridge was not only hit by crushing 50% tariffs on his exports to the U.S. but also recently lost a steel drum contract due to a 50% countertariff imposed by his own government.

Washington started this trade war, but how is the Prime Minister going to ensure that Canada's response does not place an undue burden on Canadian businesses and consumers?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions]

Mr. Speaker, I know my colleague well and I know where he comes from. There is indeed a very important auto sector that uses our Canadian steel. We also need to make sure that sector continues to be competitive, as well as the steel sector. These two sectors have been targeted by many of the American administration's tariffs. Meanwhile, we are fighting against these tariffs because we know that at the end of the day, when we put countertariffs on the table, it helps us at the negotiating table. Canadians know that these times are tough, but we can help and work together to make sure that we fight against these unjustified tariffs.

[Michael Guglielmin, Conservative, Vaughan—Woodbridge, ON]

Mr. Speaker, today we heard the minister keep talking about support packages. Oxford economists have been clear that they may soften the blow, but they will not solve the problem. Economist Trevor Tombe estimates that the government's countertariffs could cost Canadian consumers $4 billion. Meanwhile, businesses in Vaughan—Woodbridge are facing increased costs to their inputs and being forced to consider relocating south of the border. We should out-compete the Americans, not out-tax them.

Can the Prime Minister tell Canadians how much his countertariffs will cost them?

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Minister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

I hope in this session of Parliament, Mr. Speaker, we will not see this pattern re-emerge. Let us call it the “blame Canada” pattern by the hissy fit brigade.

We are in a trade war. We did not provoke this trade war. This trade war is illegal and unjustified. Canada, a sovereign country, will stand up and take the trade and other measures that are required to protect our people, our industries and our workers. We will never apologize for that.

The blame Canada brigade should sit right down.

[Kathy Borrelli, Conservative, Windsor—Tecumseh—Lakeshore, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government's countertariffs are killing new work for Windsor manufacturers. Cavalier Tool's three plants need specialized U.S. steel and aluminum they cannot source elsewhere. On $244,000 moulds, their 5% to 10% profit is wiped out by countertariffs. They are trying to maintain their skilled workforce. Under the conditions the Liberals have caused, this is becoming too challenging.

How many more Windsor jobs will the government sacrifice?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions]

Mr. Speaker, if there is a city or a town in this country that is affected by the tariffs, it is clearly Windsor. If the colleague really understood what she was asking for, which would weaken the industrial base in Windsor, she would stop asking that question.

The countertariffs are so important to make sure we fight back against the tariffs affecting the very auto workers in Windsor, the very steelworkers in the southwestern Ontario region and the aluminum workers in Quebec and B.C.

We will make sure that we fight. We do not actually take that proposition as a good one because—

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

The hon. member for Beauce.

[Jason Groleau, Conservative, Beauce, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister was elected on a promise to reach an agreement with the Americans. Today, that promise is in ruins. The unjustified escalation of the tariffs and retaliatory tariffs is causing our companies' operating costs to soar. Norgate Metal in Beauce is already projecting $7 million in additional costs for its current contracts alone. Ultimately, Canadians are the ones who are going to pay the price.

Can the Prime Minister tell us how much the retaliatory tariffs will really cost businesses in Quebec and Beauce?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions]

Mr. Speaker, on all of these issues, what my colleagues' questions clearly show is that they really think the government's strategy should be to drop the retaliatory tariffs, admit defeat, accept a bad deal or give up. Guess what? We are never going to give up, because these tariffs are illegal and unjustified, and they directly target the industrial base in my colleague's riding of Beauce.

We are going show up for our workers and businesses. In the meantime, we are going to fight.

[Jason Groleau, Conservative, Beauce, QC]

Mr. Speaker, we are going to give him some very important information about the counter-tariffs.

The Liberal Party and Prime Minister's failed negotiations are hurting our economy. Our businesses are paying a fortune. I will give some real examples. The garage door manufacturer Garaga will be paying $1.5 million a month. Beauce Atlas will be paying $550,000 a week. You heard me, Mr. Speaker: $550,000.

These costs are putting jobs here at risk, and Canadians are the ones who are going to pay the price. Why did the Minister of Finance ignore the recommendations of businesses in Beauce, Quebec, and Canada?

[Dominic LeBlanc, Liberal, President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade]

Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, we worked with businesses in Quebec. We were constantly working with union representatives from Quebec, with the Government of Quebec.

We worked with business people from across the country because we wanted an agreement that is in Canada's best economic interest, to strengthen Canada's economic and cultural sovereignty.

We know that the Conservatives would have taken any old deal. Now we see that they do not want to fight for our workers, that they do not want to defend the Canadian industries that are under attack.

We do, however, and that is exactly what we are going to do.

[Daniel Gobeil, Liberal, Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to wish everyone a happy first day of the fall session.

Last week, Canada welcomed the world. Investors from nearly 30 countries, managing more than $100 trillion in assets, came to Canada because they see what the people of Chicoutimi—Le Fjord saw when they sent me here. They see Canada's economic strength and ambition, and the whole world wants to invest in it.

Can the Minister of Finance provide an update on how Canada is leveraging its tremendous advantages to unleash historic levels of investment?

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by congratulating my colleague on his election and telling the people of Chicoutimi—Le Fjord that they will have a strong voice here in Ottawa.

My colleague is right. We are entering this economic period from a position of strength and confidence. Canada has what the world needs, and investors are noticing, as he said. We have the talent, we have the industries, we have the critical minerals, we have the energy, and we are the only G7 country that has a free trade agreement with every other G7 country. Let us seize this opportunity. Let us be as ambitious as the folks in these industries, and let us build a strong Canada together.

Automotive Industry

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

Mr. Speaker, almost a year ago the industry minister stood in the House and proclaimed that the Stellantis plant would reopen or she would get Canadians' money back. Neither one turned out to be true, because the Liberals are all talk and no action. It is the same thing when they say they are going to double housing or that it is the most affordable in a decade. Neither one is true.

These failures, though, have real consequences. Eighteen hundred Stellantis workers have lost their jobs. Many have actually lost their homes. When will the Liberal minister move from talk to actual action to protect these jobs?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to highlight good news on the part of GM. They were able to get to collective bargaining across this country. There is also good news for Ford, which was able to get to collective bargaining as well. Now, when it comes to Stellantis, the position of the government has always been clear: We need the Stellantis Brampton workers back on the job. We need a model back at Brampton.

I have been in contact with Unifor, Stellantis, Doug Ford and Vic Fedeli from the Ontario government. We expect the parties to continue their collective bargaining and go back to the table. We will be there to defend our auto workers all the time.

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

Mr. Speaker, those are literally the same out-of-touch talking points that she used a year ago, saying, “We are going to do something.”

Those 1,800 jobs are gone. Those 1,800 workers had a top-up, and then they went on EI; now they are getting nothing. There is a lady in my riding, and both she and her husband worked at Stellantis. They have now lost their home because of this.

The minister said she would get the money back or protect the jobs. She has done neither one. Why is she still minister?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions]

Mr. Speaker, we will get no lessons from the Conservatives, who presented an auto strategy that did not even include the auto parts across Ontario. They were letting down—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

The hon. minister may continue.

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I will not take any lessons from the Conservatives, who presented an auto strategy that did not even include the auto parts sector, who let down the Ford engine plants across the country and across Ontario, the same as for the GM St. Catharines plant. Meanwhile, we are engaged with the company, but if it does not bring a new model back to Brampton, we will get our money back, period.

The Economy

[Amarjeet Gill, Conservative, Brampton West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are raising costs on Canadian businesses and workers. In Brampton, the loss of thousands of well-paying jobs at Stellantis has highlighted the pressures families and businesses are facing.

Canadians need a clear response. Conservatives have a plan to eliminate the industrial carbon tax, cut spending on consultants and corporate subsidies, and accelerate permits for major projects to strengthen jobs and our economy.

When will the current Liberal government adopt our Conservative economic plan to get businesses moving into Canada rather than moving out of Canada?