SoVote

Dec/1/21 5:56:43 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, one thing the throne speech makes note of is the importance of reconciliation. Of course, in the Kenora riding and across northern Ontario, that is a very important issue. A big aspect of it regards boil water advisories on reserve. The government, despite some very positive progress, failed to meet the timelines it set in, I believe, the 2015 election. The Minister of Indigenous Services has now said that it will not set a new target date for ending all long-term boil water advisories. I am wondering if the member agrees with this approach of not setting a target date when so many communities need help. They need access to clean drinking water right now.

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Context: House Hansard - 8 - Dec/1/21

Mr. Eric Melillo (Kenora, CPC)

Dec/1/21 7:29:30 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I appreciate a lot of the sentiments that the member for Winnipeg North shared. Of course, those in the riding of Kenora and across northern Ontario are looking for more than that. They are looking for results and they are looking for action. A question had been posed to the minister, a couple of times I believe, and she has not been able to answer. I wonder if the member could answer this for us. Does the member know how many negotiations and how many meetings have transpired between this government and the U.S. trade representative?

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Context: House Hansard - 8 - Dec/1/21

Mr. Eric Melillo (Kenora, CPC)

Dec/1/21 8:22:24 p.m.
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Mr. Chair, I appreciate that the member mentioned the environmental benefits of forestry, especially Canadian forestry. We have one of the greenest, most environmentally friendly industry in the world. I wonder if he would comment further on the benefit of supporting Canadian forestry from the perspective of fighting climate change.

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Context: House Hansard - 8 - Dec/1/21

Mr. Eric Melillo (Kenora, CPC)

Dec/1/21 9:11:21 p.m.
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Mr. Chair, my colleague from Kelowna—Lake Country mentioned how important the industry is to British Columbia, and the local impact. An aspect we cannot stress enough is that these are jobs, these are livelihoods. It is more than just the overall economy that is at stake here. I am wondering if she can expand more on the local concerns, some of the things she has either heard from those in B.C. or heard from her colleagues on what is happening on the ground in their ridings.

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Context: House Hansard - 8 - Dec/1/21

Mr. Eric Melillo (Kenora, CPC)

Dec/1/21 9:42:02 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I appreciate the speech from the member opposite. I just want to bring this back to the workers, those on the ground whose lives are impacted by this, because this is something we have seen in the Kenora riding throughout the course of this dispute. Just a couple of years ago, Kenora Forest Products had to lay off over 100 workers when its parent company filed for bankruptcy, citing the ongoing softwood lumber dispute. I mean this question in the most collegial way possible. What would the member want to say to those workers who have lost their jobs and their families who are looking for action from this government?

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Context: House Hansard - 8 - Dec/1/21

Mr. Eric Melillo (Kenora, CPC)

Dec/1/21 9:57:28 p.m.
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Madam Chair, it is a pleasure to join the debate tonight on such an important topic. It is fitting that my first speech of the 44th Parliament is on a topic that is so dearly important to people in the Kenora riding and right across northern Ontario. The forestry industry is so important to Canada as a whole, and to Canada's economy. This sector contributes nearly $24 billion annually to our GDP and makes up roughly 6% of total exports. The industry employs hundreds of thousands of people, many indigenous people, many in northern Canada and, as I mentioned, many in my riding as well. These families rely on the well-paying union jobs that the forestry industry provides. However, we are here today because the industry is in crisis. In northern Ontario and across the country dozens of mills have closed in the last few years, impacting thousands of workers. Additionally, these closures are having impacts down the line on indirect jobs such as in trucking and throughout the supply chain. Earlier in the debate I mentioned Kenora Forest Products, a mill that had to lay off over 100 workers a couple years ago when its parent company filed for bankruptcy, citing the ongoing softwood lumber dispute as a major factor of that. The lack of an agreement continues to threaten jobs in Kenora, in Ear Falls and right across all of northern Ontario. We know the U.S. is Canada's largest trading partner, but these protectionist policies have limited our access to its markets. Now the forestry industry has suffered another blow less than a week after the Prime Minister flew to Washington to meet with President Biden. The U.S., of course, has announced plans to double tariffs on Canadian softwood lumber products. When I raised this issue in question period last week, the Minister of International Trade replied, saying that the government was pursuing litigation under CUSMA, and I am glad to see we are. Canada has historically been very successful in challenging U.S. actions through channels like this, but while we wait for this ruling, the Canadian industry continues to suffer. Industry and workers in the Kenora riding continue to be left behind. The status quo we seem to have of our largest trading partner imposing aggressive and unreasonable tariffs and Canadians working to challenge them only to win temporary victories until the cycle repeats itself really is not working. It is not working for our national economy, it is straining the relationship with our allies and, most important, it is failing the families that rely on these jobs and this industry to put food on their table and a roof over their heads. What our forestry industry needs is stability. We need a softwood lumber agreement with the United States. We need a prime minister who will fight for our workers and ensure they are treated fairly. We need a prime minister who can work effectively with our international allies to advance Canadian interests. It is clear from the discussion we are having today that, for whatever reason, President Biden does not seem to be taking our Prime Minister seriously, and that is very concerning to all of us and to many people in my riding. As I close, I would like to note that in response to questions in the House, the Minister of International Trade has been unable to tell us how many negotiations the government has had with the U.S. trade representative. She has not been able to tell us what retaliatory measures, if any, the government is planning to take or, more broadly, what its plan is to deal with this crisis. Workers in the Kenora riding and across northern Ontario need the government to succeed on this. All Canadians need the government to succeed on this. I hope government members can give Canadians some hope during this debate tonight.

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Context: House Hansard - 8 - Dec/1/21

Mr. Eric Melillo

Dec/1/21 10:03:03 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I am very pleased to see that the minister is travelling to Washington. I am also pleased to see that our shadow minister on the file is on his way as well. It is great to see that we have members from all across the aisle wanting to work together on this to get to a resolution. I have had the opportunity to meet with many stakeholders in my riding and across northern Ontario to talk about this. I probably need time for another speech to mention all the concerns they have raised. It is the uncertainty more than anything that I hear time and time again, the uncertainty of not knowing what will come next and whether this dispute is going to have a solution or not. Again, I would encourage the government to do what it can to ensure it finally puts an end to this dispute.

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Context: House Hansard - 8 - Dec/1/21

Mr. Eric Melillo

Dec/1/21 10:04:30 p.m.
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Madam Chair, it is an important question. The most tangible measure we need is a result. We need an end to the dispute, and we need the minister to come back from Washington with some good news for this House and for all Canadians. That is the bottom line. I know the government has talked a lot about its strategy, of how it wants to do it and how it does not want to push too hard. The government has asked the House of Commons to endorse this strategy, but it has not yielded results yet. At the end of the day, what we need is results for the people of the Kenora riding, for the people of northern Ontario and, I am sure, the people in Quebec who are impacted by this as well.

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Context: House Hansard - 8 - Dec/1/21

Mr. Eric Melillo

Dec/1/21 10:06:21 p.m.
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Madam Chair, the brief answer is no, I do not, because I am not on the government side. It is a very important question. I would just say, to the comment the member made about the responsibility Canadian forestry producers have, that it speaks to how strong our industry is from the environmental side and the social side, and why we need to continue to support our Canadian industry.

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Context: House Hansard - 8 - Dec/1/21

Mr. Eric Melillo (Kenora, CPC)

Dec/1/21 10:58:21 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I appreciated the speech from the member for Saanich—Gulf Islands. Something that has been talked about this evening, and I believe the member for Winnipeg North mentioned it, is that, as the government is dealing with this softwood lumber issue, it is concurrently looking at new markets for Canadian softwood lumber. I wonder if the member has any thoughts or comments on that approach.

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Mr. Eric Melillo (Kenora, CPC)

Dec/1/21 11:12:33 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I appreciate the comments of the member for South Okanagan—West Kootenay on how this has impacted his region and his province. I know he did not have a lot of time in the debate tonight and I want to give him the opportunity to add any points he may have missed, because it is such an important discussion. I want to ensure he is able to get his points across.

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