- Member of Parliament
- Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development
- Liberal
- Markham—Thornhill
- Ontario
- Voting Attendance: 63%
- Expenses Last Quarter: $101,141.61
- Government Page
- Nov/29/21 6:49:54 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, softwood lumber is a priority for the government. I continue to work and speak with industry, and they know that we are standing by them.
We of course, as I said, are actively challenging the unfair U.S. duties under NAFTA and CUSMA and before the WTO. This is also in close dialogue with industry. We are also raising this issue with U.S. interlocutors, which includes our openness to an agreement that will bring the predictability and stability that our industry needs for its continued success.
We will only accept an agreement that is in Canada's best interests.
We will continue to work with our partners across the country to defend this important sector.
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- Nov/29/21 6:44:19 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, let me begin by saying how pleased I am to have the opportunity to stand up again to speak on this very important issue. Before I do, I did not have the opportunity yet in this House to thank the people of Markham—Thornhill for electing me and placing their vote of confidence in me. I continue to be humbled to serve as their member of Parliament.
Just like my colleague, the hon. member for Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon, I too take this issue very seriously. Canada's forestry sector is of great importance to our communities, as well as to our economy, and this is why our government has announced $867 million in investment to support affected workers, introduce loan guarantee programs, reduce the risk of job losses, support affected communities, stabilize operations, diversify markets and promote innovation in the sector.
Let me state unequivocally that the duties the United States has imposed on Canadian softwood lumber are completely unwarranted and unfair. More than that, they are harmful to all the Canadian workers in communities across the country for which the softwood lumber industry is an economic anchor. The recent doubling of the duties announced by the United States Department of Commerce is extremely disappointing and unjustified.
We can be proud of our softwood lumber industry, and the government is vigorously defending its interests.
Unfortunately, this is not the first time that the United States has slapped duties on Canadian softwood lumber. We have been through this before, and each time, the independent dispute settlement panels ruled that Canada was a fair trading partner.
Canada is actively pursuing legal challenges against U.S. duties under chapter 19 of NAFTA, chapter 10 of CUSMA and before the WTO. Let me remind members that the WTO panel ruling on Canada's challenge of U.S. duties on softwood lumber found overwhelmingly in Canada's favour in August 2020. We are confident that this will continue to be the case.
Canadian softwood lumber is a priority for the federal government. While we will continue to defend our industries, interests and litigation until these duties are removed, we are also raising this issue with the United States at every opportunity. The Prime Minister raised it with President Biden earlier this month, Minister Joly raised it with her U.S. counterpart Secretary Blinken and I have raised it on many occasions with Ambassador Tai and Secretary Raimondo.
These duties are unjustified and harm both our countries. We will continue our efforts until we reach an agreement that supports the Canadian industry and its workers.
The United States relies on high-quality Canadian lumber. Adding these unjustified duties merely harms their own consumers and home builders at a time when housing affordability is already a significant concern for many.
I have worked directly with industry. I have convened meetings with industry representatives from across the country and just last week spoke directly with leaders of the sector. I will continue to work hand in hand with our partners to ensure that our approach and any solutions we pursue are informed by the needs of our forestry sector and the workers whose jobs it supports.
We remain ready to discuss terms that will be in the best interests of our country. However, I will make one thing clear: We will not accept just any deal. We will continue to work closely with the provinces and territories, industry, indigenous partners and others to determine the best approach and to stand up for our forestry sector.
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- Nov/26/21 11:45:12 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, my message to the forestry sector industry and the workers is that we will continue to stand up for their interests. We are interested in an outcome that is acceptable to the forestry industry and to the workers. We are going to work with the Canadian softwood lumber industry, as we have always done. It is they who will give us the mandate to take to the United States on this very issue.
I am going to keep working closely with industry. Together, we are going to take a team Canada approach, just as we have done all the way along, challenging on this issue and continuing to work on it.
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- Nov/25/21 2:49:19 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I absolutely share the impassioned plea that my colleague and the member opposite have shared. We, too, want to ensure that Canada's forestry sector and its workers are absolutely defended. We have said consistently that these tariffs are unfair and unwarranted, whether at the CUSMA panel or at the WTO. We have litigated this and in those litigations Canada has won. We have been deemed to be fair trading partners. We are going to keep standing up for those workers and the forestry sector.
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- Nov/25/21 2:47:48 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we will remain focused on defending the sector and its workers. Within the forestry sector, I have had an opportunity to spend time with workers as well as the industry. We are working together on this and using a team Canada approach. It has proven to work well when we are able to work with those who are directly affected.
We will continue to push and work with the Americans, as well as with Canada's sectors, but know that we will always defend Canada's interests.
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- Nov/25/21 2:35:45 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the forestry sector and its workers are extremely important to our government, and we will continue to defend their interests to the Americans. We raised this issue with the President of the United States last week. I raised this issue with my counterpart, the United States trade representative.
I think this government's record in standing up for Canadian businesses, in negotiating a trade agreement that works for Canada and improves North American competitiveness, is the record that we stand on. I will not take any lessons on asking us to capitulate to the former president.
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