Andrew Leslie

[International Trade, November 19th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, our government will always stand up for Canadian workers and businesses. The steel and aluminum industries provide good, middle-class jobs to Canadians across our country. We have put in place reciprocal tariffs, safeguards on imported steel, programs to help companies diversify and relief programs for industry. We have allocated over $2 billion to assist those who need it most. Our actions have been driven by the best interests of Canadian workers and industries, and I can assure the member opposite that they will continue to be based on the best outcomes for Canadians.

[International Trade, November 19th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, Canada's steel and aluminum industries are a critical part of our economy and many people's livelihoods. Canadians in communities across the country depend on the good jobs that are supported by these industries, both upstream and downstream from the actual point of origin of the steel or aluminum, and that is why we have taken such strong action to defend them. Shortly after the unfair and illegal tariffs were unilaterally announced by the United States, we announced our own reciprocal tariffs on $16.6 billion worth of U.S. goods.

I have said this before, but it bears repeating. This is the strongest and largest trade action Canada has taken since the Second World War. This is how much we value our steel and aluminum workers and how much we want to protect their livelihoods and communities.

Since before the tariffs were imposed, we have been meeting with steel and aluminum industry leadership and workers to ensure that their voices inform our actions. Recently, for example, the Minister of Foreign Affairs has been visiting dozens of facilities across Canada, meeting with steel and aluminum companies and associations, the workers on the shop floors and union representatives. I myself have met with many dozens of union associations, factory management, suppliers, workers and the upstream and downstream industries that are impacted. The message is clear that we must defend our industries and workers, and that is exactly what we are doing.

For example, in October, we introduced provisional safeguard measures on seven steel products to ensure that our industries are not being harmed by the diversion of steel into Canada from other international steel suppliers. Such measures are being welcomed by the industry. Just last week, for example, Stelco, which employs 2,200 men and women at Hamilton Harbour and on Lake Erie, said that these safeguards are providing market stability. They agree with what we are doing.

In fact, Stelco's CEO also said, “With these measures in place, we expect growth in our business related to our recent investments, including the installation of annealing furnaces, and the recent work on the hot strip mill, that have enhanced our product capabilities.” It has received funds to help it and its workers get through the process we are going through with the section 232 tariffs.

Our measures are allowing companies to continue to invest in themselves, their facilities and their workers. I would remind us all that there is $2 billion available to defend and protect the interests of Canadian workers and businesses in the steel and aluminum manufacturing industries.

We are working hard to make sure that these tariffs are eliminated. We are in constant dialogue with the United States. Removing U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum is a priority for our government and, indeed, for the nation. We continue to raise this at every opportunity with American officials at the very highest level.

[Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, November 19th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, the government is working on improving the application process even more, to make it easier to access the parents and grandparents program and to improve the experience for our clients. We are making sure that our updates to the application process are appropriate, and we took the time to listen to stakeholders and applicants before deciding how to proceed.

I also would like to note that consistently high admissions levels for parents and grandparents over the last few years have allowed the government to greatly reduce the application backlog. The application inventory has dropped from a peak of 167,000 people in 2011 to just under 26,000 people in June 2018.

Do we have more work to do? Absolutely, but we are well on track.

Family reunification is one of the Government of Canada's top immigration priorities.

[Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, November 19th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, reuniting Canadian citizens and permanent residents with their parents and grandparents contributes to strengthening Canada's social and cultural fabric.

I am pleased to speak to this issue today, as it gives me the opportunity to tell the hon. member about the changes that have been made to the parent and grandparent program since the member initially asked her question in June.

In August, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada announced that it would be increasing the cap on the number of parents and grandparents sponsorship applications accepted for processing from 10,000 to 17,000 in 2018, and to 20,000 in 2019. The department also announced that the application intake system would be changing in 2019, something that addresses the root concerns of the hon. member.

In 2019, as was the case in recent years, the interest-to-sponsor form will be put online at the beginning of the year to allow potential eligible sponsors to tell us that they wish to sponsor their parents or grandparents. Instead of randomly choosing potential sponsors to submit applications, as was the case before, we will invite potential sponsors to submit their sponsorship applications based on the order in which the interest-to-sponsor forms were submitted. The process will continue until the number of potential sponsors invited to submit applications reaches the annual cap of 20,000 applications.

This new first-in system is different, as it is based on interest-to-sponsor submissions sent electronically, and not on complete applications mailed to IRCC's offices, which was the process before 2017.

This is an improvement from the system used before 2017, because potential sponsors will be required to complete an application only if they are invited to submit one. Using this intake process will give the government more flexibility in the application process, ensuring that we receive as many applications as possible to meet the cap.

The Government of Canada welcomes comments on its programs and services, and the changes made to the application process for the parents and grandparents program aim to make things fair and give all interested sponsors equal access to the application process.

[International Trade, November 8th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, we have added $2 billion to defend and protect the interests of Canadian workers. We are also providing targeted tax relief to Canadian manufacturers dealing with exceptional circumstances.

[International Trade, November 8th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I first want to make sure that everyone understands that we have created more than 700,000 good jobs since 2015.

We are working very hard and quite successfully to protect Canada's steel and aluminum industries—

[International Trade, November 8th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to point out to the hon. member that we have added 700,000 jobs to the economy since 2015.

Vis-à-vis steel and aluminum, we are taking action and we have taken action to prevent the diversion and dumping of unfairly priced foreign steel. We have added $2 billion to help workers in the factories affected. We have consulted widely on possible trade remedies and measures. We have heard from interested stakeholders and shareholders and we are considering options as we move ahead.

USMCA is a good deal for Canada and we are proud that we achieved it.

[International Trade, November 8th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I am not sure how I can top that, but let us listen to a Conservative who actually knows what he is talking about when it comes to trade. I quote former prime minister Brian Mulroney, who said:

This agreement is a highly significant achievement for Canada...Canada appears to have achieved most if not all of its important objectives in this lengthy and challenging set of negotiations.

[Public Safety, November 6th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, we saw how proud the residents of Charlevoix were to welcome people from around the world and show them how beautiful their region is.

In the months leading up to the summit, we actively collaborated with all local partners, and I can assure my colleague that the compensation policies for affected local businesses are exactly the same as they were under the Harper Conservatives in 2010.

[Human Rights, November 5th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, with like-minded friends and allies, there are discreet and delicate discussions under way, and I will not say anything further at this time.