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Minutes of Proceedings

44th Parliament, 1st Session
Meeting 97
Tuesday, November 21, 2023, 3:52 p.m. to 6:17 p.m.
Webcast
Presiding
Joël Lightbound, Chair (Liberal)

Library of Parliament
• Sarah Lemelin-Bellerose, Analyst
 
House of Commons
• Naaman Sugrue, Procedural Clerk
Pursuant to Standing Order 106(4), the committee commenced consideration of the request by members of the committee to address employment concerns at Stellantis-LG new battery manufacturing facility in Windsor, Ontario.

At 5:28 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 5:33 p.m., the sitting resumed in public.

Motion

Rick Perkins moved, — Given that the Government of Canada gave a multi-billion dollar subsidy for an EV battery manufacturing facility in Windsor, Ontario, and that in recent days it has been revealed that as many as 1600 jobs will be going to foreign workers instead of Canadian workers, the committee undertake a 6 meeting investigation to determine how the Government of Canada structured a deal that prioritizes foreign workers over Canadian jobs and paycheques, and that the committee hears testimony from: the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, for 2 hours, the Minister of Finance, for 2 hours, the Minister of Employment and Social Development Canada, the Mayor of Windsor, the Parliamentary Budget Officer, Officials from the Department of Industry, the CEO of NextStar, Danis Lee, Unifor national president Lana Payne and all other witnesses deemed relevant by the committee, and the committee order the full unredacted contract with Stellantis-LG regarding NextStar EV battery manufacturing facility in Windsor, Ontario, all documents related to government funding and Canadian job creation at the proposed factory, the Labour Market Impact Assessment application from Stellantis and the government’s response, and that these documents be produced within seven days of this motion being adopted.

On motion of Brian Masse, it was agreed, — That the motion be amended by deleting the words “the Mayor of Windsor and Unifor national president Lana Payne” and add “Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Minister of Global Affairs Canada, Ambassador of South Korea, Sean Strickland, Director of Canada's Building Trades Unions”.

On motion of Sébastien Lemire, it was agreed, — That the motion be amended by replacing the words “six meetings” with the words “six hours” and that the words “seven days” be replaced with the words “in both official languages as quickly as possible”.

On motion of Ryan Turnbull, it was agreed, — That the motion be amended by replacing the words “Given that the Government of Canada gave a multi-billion dollar subsidy for an EV battery manufacturing facility in Windsor, ON, and that in recent days it has been revealed that as many as 1600 jobs will be going to foreign workers instead of Canadian workers, the committee undertake a 6 meeting” with the words “That the Standing Committee on Industry and Technology undertake”;

And that the words “investigation to determine how the Government of Canada structured a deal that prioritizes foreign workers over Canadian jobs and paycheques, and that the committee hears testimony from:” be replaced with the words “study on the use of foreign workers at the EV battery manufacturing facility in Windsor, Ontario to support the implementation of a new EV battery industry in Canada and the training of Canadian workers. And that the Committee invite the following witnesses:”

the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, for 2 hours, the Minister of Finance, for 2 hours, the Minister of Employment and Social Development Canada, the Parliamentary Budget Officer, Officials from the Department of Industry, the CEO of NextStar, Danis Lee, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Minister of Golbal Affairs Canada, Ambassador of South Korea, Sean Strickland, Director of Canada's Building Trades Unions and all other witnesses deemed relevant by the committee, and the committee order the full unredacted contract with Stellantis-LG regarding NextStar EV battery manufacturing facility in Windsor, Ontario, all documents related to government funding and Canadian job creation at the proposed factory, the Labour Market Impact Assessment application from Stellantis and the government’s response, and that these documents be produced in both official languages, as quickly as possible, of this motion being adopted.

Amendment

Ryan Turnbull moved, —

That the motion be amended by replacing the word “and the committee order the full unredacted contract with Stellantis-LG regarding NextStar EV battery manufacturing facility in Windsor, Ontario, all documents related to government funding and Canadian job creation at the proposed factory, the Labour Market Impact Assessment application from Stellantis and the government’s response,” with the following:

“And the committee request the contract with Stellantis-LG regarding NextStar EV battery manufacturing facility in Windsor, Ontario, with job numbers unredacted, in both official languages.

  • That the contract be available at the clerk's office for viewing by committee members, for a minimum of 48 hours before the meeting under the supervision of the clerk and that no personal mobile, electronic or recording devices of any kind be permitted in the room that week; and that no notes be taken out of the room.
  • And that the committee meet with Department of Industry officials in camera following the viewing of the contract.”

Debate arose thereon.

The question was put on the motion, as amended, and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Iqwinder Gaheer, Sébastien Lemire, Francesco Sorbara, Joanne Thompson, Ryan Turnbull, Tony Van Bynen — 6;

NAYS: Bernard Généreux, Brian Masse, Rick Perkins, Brad Vis, Ryan Williams — 5.

The motion, as amended, was agreed to and read as follows:

That the Standing Committee on Industry and Technology undertake a six-hour study on the use of foreign workers at the EV battery manufacturing facility in Windsor, ON to support the implementation of a new EV battery industry in Canada and the training of Canadian workers. And that the Committee invite the following witnesses: the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, for 2 hours, the Minister of Finance, for 2 hours, the Minister of Employment and Social Development Canada, the Parliamentary Budget Officer, Officials from the Department of Industry, the CEO of NextStar, Danis Lee, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Minister of Global Affairs Canada, Ambassador of South Korea, Sean Strickland, Director of Canada's Building Trades Unions and all other witnesses deemed relevant by the committee, and the committee request the contract with Stellantis-LG regarding NextStar EV battery manufacturing facility in Windsor, Ontario, with job numbers unredacted, in both official languages.
  • That the contract be available at the clerk's office for viewing by committee members, for a minimum of 48 hours before the meeting under the supervision of the clerk and that no personal mobile, electronic or recording devices of any kind be permitted in the room that week; and that no notes be taken out of the room.
  • And that the committee meet with Department of Industry officials in camera following the viewing of the contract.

And that these documents be produced in both official languages as quickly as possible following this motion being adopted.

At 6:17 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.



Miriam Burke
Clerk of the committee