House of Commons photoLost his last election, in 2025, with 41% of the vote.
National Security Review of Investments Modernization Act November 6th, 2023
Madam Speaker, in studying the bill before us, the Liberals had an opportunity to reflect what actually is going on in the world rather than just putting in a fairly basic bill that just focused on time rather than on national security. I am wondering whether the member could comment on the lost opportunities the government had in introducing the bill without any substance.
National Security Review of Investments Modernization Act November 6th, 2023
Madam Speaker, on a point of order, I would like a quorum call.
And the count having been taken:
National Security Review of Investments Modernization Act November 6th, 2023
Madam Speaker, I listened with interest to the member for Lethbridge's speech, and I am particularly interested in the example she gave about Hytera. For those who are watching and do not understand, the Chinese-based state-owned company that bought it does not make money; it actually loses money every year. These state-owned enterprises are not only acquiring Canadian companies but also winning contracts by being the lowest bidder for Canadian companies not making money.
Could the member please inform the House what she thinks the motivation might be of a state-owned enterprise if it is not making money in acquiring these businesses?
National Security Review of Investments Modernization Act November 6th, 2023
Madam Speaker, an amendment was promised at committee that all companies headquartered in China would be subject to an automatic review. The Liberals defeated that amendment. Could the member explain why?
National Security Review of Investments Modernization Act November 6th, 2023
Madam Speaker, I enjoy serving on the committee with that hon. member, who does amazing work and has worked very hard on this bill.
I know one puzzling thing is that, as we are here in report stage actually debating a further amendment to the bill that we proposed, somehow, we have not heard from the Bloc Québécois on whether they believe that the minister, on his or her own, should be able to make the decisions on a foreign acquisition of a Quebec company, without any input from cabinet colleagues in Quebec. That is the change the government is trying to make to the bill, removing cabinet from the process, which could potentially remove Quebec from any input in the decision-making on a foreign takeover.
Could the member comment on why we have had such silence from the Bloc on this issue?
National Security Review of Investments Modernization Act November 6th, 2023
Madam Speaker, I would like to give the hon. member an opportunity to comment on the issue we are debating, which he did extensively. A lot of the questions from the government and the NDP are not about what we are debating today, which is whether cabinet should be included in the decision-making process.
I would like the member to comment in particular about the members from the Bloc, who seem to think it is okay for cabinet to be eliminated and therefore have no Quebec input on acquisitions made of Quebec companies. Does he thinks it is hypocritical of the Bloc to not express itself on whether it thinks cabinet decision-making should be there in any foreign takeover of a Quebec company?
National Security Review of Investments Modernization Act November 6th, 2023
Madam Speaker, one of the amendments in committee that was defeated by the Liberals said that any takeover in Canada by a corporation whose headquarters are resident in Beijing would be automatically reviewed. The Liberals voted against that for some reason, perhaps because Beijing's government is most admired by the Prime Minister.
I am wondering whether the member could comment about what would possess Liberals to oppose an amendment that would force an automatic review.
National Security Review of Investments Modernization Act November 6th, 2023
Madam Speaker, I know my colleague from Calgary Centre has done a lot of good work in the area of mergers and acquisitions throughout his career. I would like him to comment on what we are actually debating today that some members in the NDP-Liberal coalition do not seem to want to talk about, which is the removal, in the bill, of cabinet from the decision-making process.
Given that my colleague has sat at C-suite tables and board tables, and I know he understands how cabinet works, does he not think decision-making processes in the area of foreign takeovers would be much enhanced by the collective decision-making of a management team, a board or a cabinet as opposed to letting one lone minister make the decisions?
Questions Passed as Orders for Returns November 6th, 2023
With regard to investment tax credits granted under the Scientific Research and Experimental Development Program between 2016 and 2023, in total and broken down by year: (a) how much has been distributed as part of the program; (b) how many applications were (i) received, (ii) granted; and (c) what is the breakdown for how much was distributed by (i) province or territory, (ii) type of research (basic, applied, experimental development, etc.)?
Questions on the Order Paper November 6th, 2023
With regard to the Trans Mountain Expansion Project between Strathcona County, Alberta, and Burnaby, British Columbia, since 2019: (a) what are the details of all delays (construction, environmental, cultural, safety) related to the pipeline expansion, including, for each, the (i) reason, (ii) length, (iii) estimated cost as a result of the delay, (iv) date of the event or incident that caused the delay?