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House of Commons Emblem

Standing Committee on International Trade

NUMBER 046

1st SESSION

44th PARLIAMENT

EVIDENCE

Thursday, February 2, 2023

[Recorded by Electronic Apparatus]

(1620)

[English]

The Chair (Hon. Judy A. Sgro (Humber River—Black Creek, Lib.)):

I call this meeting back to order.

We can suspend if there is a need for that, but let's get this issue started.

Let Mr. Seeback address the issue. Then I'll go to Mr. Virani. If he needs to suspend for a while, I will suspend.

Mr. Kyle Seeback (Dufferin—Caledon, CPC):

Thank you, Madam Chair.

On December 12, I submitted an Order Paper question, with respect, and this was the question:

With regard to government measures to stop the importation of goods made using forced Uyghur labour in China, since 2016: (a) how many times have such goods been intercepted or seized at points of entry by the Canada Border Services Agency or the RCMP; and (b) what are the details of each instance in (a), including (i) the date, (ii) the description of goods, including quantity, (iii) the estimated value of the goods, (iv) the point of entry or location, (v) what happened to the intercepted or seized goods, (vi) the charges laid related to the interception or seizure?

The answer that came back from the Government of Canada was that they have seized nothing. At the same time, the U.S. has seized billions of dollars of goods from the Xinjiang region of China.

As a result of that, I am proposing the following motion: I move that the committee report to the House that it calls on the government to immediately take any and all actions necessary to prohibit the importation of any goods made wholly or in part with forced labour from Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, and develop a strategy to prevent the importation into Canada of any goods, mined, produced or manufactured, wholly or in part, with forced labour in the People's Republic of China.

The Chair:

Thank you very much, Mr. Seeback.

Mr. Virani.

Mr. Arif Virani (Parkdale—High Park, Lib.):

Could I just ask that we briefly adjourn?

The Chair:

I'll suspend for a few minutes.

(1620)

(1630)

The Chair:

I call this meeting back to order.

Do we have any other business? We'll simply deal with this motion and we will adjourn, unless there's other business.

Mr. Arya, it's good to see you.

Mr. Chandra Arya (Nepean, Lib.):

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I appreciate my colleague, Mr. Seeback, proposing this motion. I understand it's very important for Canada not to import any goods from anywhere in the world that are produced or manufactured by forced labour, including goods mined anywhere else in the world with forced labour.

I propose an amendment to delete the words “from Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region” and continue with “and develop a strategy to prevent importation into Canada of any goods mined, produced or manufactured, wholly or in part, with forced labour.”

Basically, that is the amendment.

(1635)

The Chair:

Is there any discussion?

There's no discussion at all. All right.

(Amendment agreed to)

(Motion as amended agreed to)

The Chair: Not seeing anything else on the agenda, the meeting is adjourned.