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International Trade

Question period focused on U.S. tariffs and support for Canadian businesses. Yves-François Blanchet, for the Bloc Québécois, said the United States is now applying its highest tariffs to Canada following an April 6 change in how tariffs are calculated, and that the economic update did not include promised help for businesses. He asked the Prime Minister to act quickly and offered to work with the government to support Quebec businesses that export to the U.S. Prime Minister Mark Carney responded that the government is developing measures for workers and businesses in the steel, aluminum, copper and derivative industries, to be announced in the coming days, and said the measures would be swift and sufficient.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

Official text

5 statements

Yves-François Blanchet

Bloc Québécois
“The United States is now putting its highest tariffs on Canada, but the government's economic update did not help our businesses. I want the Prime Minister to change his plans and support them.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, in the past few days, the Prime Minister again claimed that 85% of Canadian exports to the United States are protected by CUSMA and that the tariffs applied to Canada and Quebec are the lowest the United States is imposing. It seems that, as of April 6, these are now the highest tariffs the U.S. is imposing on any country in the world, but yesterday’s economic statement contained no measures. Will the Prime Minister sharpen his pencil and make some changes to help businesses?

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Mark Carney

Liberal
“We are working on support for workers and businesses in the steel, aluminum, and copper industries. We will announce those plans in the next few days.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his interest in this situation. The government is currently developing measures to assist workers and businesses in the steel, aluminum, copper and derivative industries. We will announce those measures in the coming days.

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Yves-François Blanchet

Bloc Québécois

Linked statement

“The rules for tariffs changed on April 6. The Prime Minister promised help for businesses in the economic update, but there was no help in it. Can I trust him this time?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, that sounds like good news, but to err on the side of caution, I would remind the House that the way tariffs are calculated changed on April 6. Two weeks ago, I asked the Prime Minister if he would take action. What I got was pretty much radio silence. I asked him again the following week. He said that there would be measures to help businesses in the economic statement. However, there was no help for businesses in the economic statement. Can I believe him this time?

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Yves-François Blanchet

Bloc Québécois
“I want the Prime Minister to work with me and help Quebec businesses that sell goods to the United States. They are in serious trouble and need support right away.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, we dealt with Justin Trudeau for 10 years. As a result, I sincerely hope that the Prime Minister will accept the offer I made at a press conference earlier today and set partisanship and performative politics aside to ensure that, given the serious distress they are in, the businesses that account for roughly half of Quebec’s exports to the United States will receive significant, adequate and timely assistance.

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Mark Carney

Liberal
“We will act quickly and do enough to protect Canadian workers and businesses from new American tariffs.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Industry, my colleagues and I can assure Canadian workers and businesses affected by the new U.S. tariff threats that our measures will be swift and sufficient.

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