Tracey Ramsey

[December 12th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, earlier my colleague from Jonquière mentioned the fantastic cheese producers in her riding. We know that the previous Conservative government had promised that under CETA the dairy sector would be provided with $4.3 billion in compensation. Instead of honouring that commitment, the Liberals have fallen far short, and what they would provide to dairy farmers now is $250 million over five years. This would have a huge impact on local cheese producers, like those that the member mentioned in her own riding of Jonquière, and the cheese quotas.

There are so many unknowns about CETA. The dairy producers do not know whether they would be allocated those cheese quotas or they would go to retailers. That still has not been distinguished. The cheese producers are seeking that quota so that they can offset more of these losses, but the Liberal government refuses to let them know whether that is the case.

I wonder if the member can speak further to how CETA would impact those cheese producers in her riding of Jonquière.

[International Trade, December 12th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, under CETA, Canada will, for the fist time, permit foreign-owned vessels to transport goods between Canadian ports and will open up domestic dredging contracts to foreign suppliers. This will lead to the immediate loss of 3,000 high-quality, good-paying Canadian seafarers' jobs, and threaten tens of thousands more.

Why is the minister refusing to address CETA's negative impacts and continuing to push through a deal that will hurt Canadians?

[Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement Implementation Act, December 7th, 2016]

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his wonderful speech and for his work on the trade files in previous Parliaments. He certainly has been an asset to me in helping me in my new role. I want to talk about what he spoke about, around working-class people.

There is another section of working-class people who will be impacted dramatically in CETA and that is those who are in the maritime jobs sector. CETA will for the first time legally allow foreign-owned vessels and foreign crews to transport goods between Canadian ports, which is called cabotage, and will open up domestic dredging contracts to foreign suppliers. CETA will lead to the immediate loss of approximately 3,000 Canadian seafarers' jobs. These are high-quality, well-paid jobs.

The industry as a whole supports over 250,000 direct and indirect jobs. Foreign boats will bring in foreign workers with no requirement for LMIAs. These workers can be paid as little as $2 an hour. We are going to be permitting more foreign flagged vessels and we are going to hurt yet another sector, but unfortunately, the Liberal government does not want to speak about the impacts of this deal and address them so that we can get it right.

Does the member agree that these are serious concerns that deserve parliamentarians' consideration before we rubber-stamp this agreement?

[Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement Implementation Act, December 7th, 2016]

Madam Speaker, I have visited the member's riding many times and it is a beautiful spot in Ontario for sure.

I know there are a lot of small communities and working-class Canadians in the member's riding who would be very concerned about the changes that would take place with CETA in terms of the cost of pharmaceutical drugs. Every single Canadian would be impacted by these changes. Twenty-five per cent of the implementing legislation consists of changes to pharmaceutical drugs. We already have the highest pharmaceutical costs of all OECD countries and there is no compensation to be had for the provinces, as the previous government spoke about.

The economic impact would be $850 million annually in terms of additional spending by Canadians on pharmaceutical drugs. I am sure that in the member's riding, like in my own riding of Essex, there are many people who are already struggling day to day to afford the cost of medications.

Is the member concerned that CETA would lead to increased costs of prescription drugs for those in his riding given that Canadians already pay more for prescription drugs than nearly every other OECD country?

[Budget Implementation Act, 2016, No. 2, December 6th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, the member mentioned Alberta a lot, and his riding and the need for jobs. I am sure, like in my riding of Essex, his riding consists of a lot of small businesses, which drive the economy in a lot of ridings. It is very concerning to me that we do not see the promise in this bill of a small business tax reduction. This is hurting small businesses in the communities in Essex and I am sure it is hurting the member's as well.

Could the hon. member comment on the government not following through on the reduction of the small business tax cut and how it has impacted his riding?

[Steel Industry, December 5th, 2016]

Madam Speaker, I am hearing very little in the way of concrete answers in the government's response. To be aware of the issue and not act is cold comfort to the steel producers in Canada and those who work in this important sector. We will lose jobs if we do not act. It is good to hear that the government understands the issue, but without action we are not going to be able to ensure that these jobs are going to stay safe inside of Canada.

Supporting this industry must include the important consideration that I mentioned, and that is whether Canada will grant China market economy status. This decision is coming up on December 11. It is very pressing, and it is urgent for the steel producers to understand what they will be facing if the government makes the decision to give that granting to China.

Again, can the parliamentary secretary outline when his government will implement changes to Canada's trade remedy system, and how will the government deal with China's request to be granted market economy status?

[Steel Industry, December 5th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I previously rose in this House to bring attention to a serious issue in our country: the unfair dumping of Chinese steel and the need for Canada to have a strong, effective response. Dumping drives down the price of steel and is having a significant impact on Canada's steel industry and the thousands of workers it employs.

My riding of Essex is home to a world-class steel plant, Atlas Tube, which produces top-quality Canadian products, while providing good family-sustaining jobs in our Harrow community. In fact, the steel industry employs 22,000 working-class Canadians in steel production and an additional 100,000 Canadians indirectly. Steel accounts for $2.6 billion a year in GDP.

The NDP echoes the calls of industry and labour groups for a modernized trade remedy system that effectively addresses issues like steel dumping.

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce and local chambers like mine in Windsor—Essex have urged the federal government to act by passing resolutions in support of ending unfair steel dumping. The United Steelworkers have also been actively urging the government to act.

In October, the Standing Committee on International Trade adopted my motion to study this important issue. I am very much looking forward to this study resuming in the New Year. Action is urgently needed.

Canada has fallen behind in our sanctions, making us an easy target for dumping.

On the other hand, countries like Australia have strengthened their trade remedies.

By not having our sanctions in line with other similar economies, Canada risks inviting even more dumping in the future. We need improved data collection, better transparency, more robust and frequent analyses of foreign subsidies, stiffer penalties, and improved legislation.

Canadian steel has been the backbone of Canadian infrastructure projects for decades. Our plants have an excellent reputation for producing high-quality steel products, while upholding strong labour and environmental standards.

The government's planned investments in infrastructure should represent a big opportunity for Canada's steel industry, but it may not be able to capitalize if Canada continues to allow cheap imports from China to undercut our producers.

Barry Zekelman, CEO of Atlas Tube, has said, “Think of the consequences of our infrastructure, our factories, and our defence all relying on foreign-made steel if our industry shuts its doors.”

Every day that Canada does not act, our steel industry is losing money and jobs.

There is another serious issue that we have yet to address in this House. We know that the Liberal government is talking to China about a potential FTA. However, there is a foundational issue with this relationship that needs to be addressed in a timely manner. Canada currently treats China as a non-market economy, but we know China is pushing to be granted market economy status. Canada is going to have to make a decision.

I can tell members that Canada's steel industry is very concerned about the implications of granting China this new status. It will make it more difficult to address trade issues like dumping.

The Canadian Steel Producers Association has estimated that granting China market economy status would result in the loss of 60,000 highly skilled middle-class jobs, a permanent reduction in GDP of over $9 billion in the short term, $7.6 billion over the long term, and significant reductions in federal and provincial government revenues.

I would like to ask the parliamentary secretary, what concrete measures will the government take to tackle the very worrisome issue of unfair steel dumping by China; and are the Liberals considering granting China market economy status?

[Public Services and Procurement, December 2nd, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, the government promised to fix the Phoenix pay system by October 31, but over a month later, people in my riding of Essex are still going without a paycheque. People are afraid that missed paycheques will lead to missed mortgage payments, which will cause people to lose their homes.

Phoenix has been a train wreck, a national disgrace, causing undue stress and anxiety for tens of thousands of Canadians. When will the government finally fix this shameful mess?

[International Trade, December 1st, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, instead of congratulating Jada, he could answer her concerns. The Liberal government could listen to the concerns that are echoed across the country by thousands of Canadians, show leadership, and stand up against the trans-Pacific partnership.

After the news today, I am very curious. We travelled on the trade committee. Over 400 people have come before us. We travelled across the country and widely consulted Canadians from the trade committee level on the trans-Pacific partnership. It is interesting to note we have not done so on CETA. No such consultation process has taken place.

However, getting back to TPP, after the news today that came in the House, we heard the minister for democratic reform essentially flopping right over her message and the Liberals' promise to Canadians on what they would do with the consultations and with the work of the committee. I sincerely hope I will not soon find myself, with other members of the committee in the House, with the same treatment of our TPP study. What will the Liberals' response be if this widespread report—

[International Trade, December 1st, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, on October 5, we had a special visitor in Ottawa, Jada Malott, a young 12-year-old girl who travelled from Windsor to bring her message to the Prime Minister that the trans-Pacific partnership was a bad deal for Canadians.

This young activist represents a generation that is standing up against unfair trade deals that have hurt its communities. Jada brought a passionate message of warning from her generation to ours, that this deal would leave 60,000 Canadians out of work, increase the cost of drugs, and empower foreign investors to sue Canadian governments in secret tribunals.

Many young Canadians visited our trade committee as we travelled across Canada, consulting on this dangerous trade deal. Young people asked us to stop the deal. They spoke of the difficulties they faced trying to find decent work and how they had seen their parents lose good paying jobs over the years, sometimes as a result of other bad trade deals.

Youth are not just the leaders of tomorrow; they are the leaders of today. In southwestern Ontario and across Canada, they speak strongly about the need to stand up for strong, healthy, and resilient communities. They speak against trade deals like the TPP, a massive trade and investment deal that would put corporate interests ahead of the interests of Canadians.

Of the 6,000 pages in this deal and the 30 chapters, only six have to do with traditional trade.

It is not difficult to see how damaging the TPP would be to Windsor—Essex. Our region stands to lose 20,000 auto jobs. We will all suffer under the increased drug costs, jobs will be lost due to the labour mobility chapter, and the ISDS clause will allow us to be sued by foreign investors.

When the trade committee visited Windsor, it was surprised to hear our local chamber president Matt Marchand, Unifor Local 444 president Dino Chiodo, president of Windsor and District Labour Council Brian Hogan, and the Windsor Economic Development Corporation, all bringing the same message of opposition to the TPP.

This is the labour rich region that Jada Malott has lived and grown up in. She knows well what will face southwestern Ontario under the TPP. She brought that passionate message to stop the TPP to this very House, in fact, to the minister of youth, the Prime Minister. She asked the Prime Minister if he would visit Windsor to listen to them about the TPP and he responded, yes.

Will the Prime Minister honour this commitment and come visit Windsor to talk about what a truly progressive trade agenda looks like?