Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand refused to say whether Chinese-made electric vehicles could be banned under new federal legislation targeting products linked to forced labour, despite evidence that some Chinese auto supply chains rely on materials connected to Uyghur labour camps.Blacklock's Reporter said appearing before the House of Commons foreign affairs committee, Anand defended Bill C-35, legislation that would give cabinet the authority to create a list of goods suspected of being produced wholly or partly through forced labour and prohibit their importation into Canada.“This is Canada standing up for human rights and this is Canada standing up for workers’ rights,” Anand told MPs.“We are demonstrating to other middle powers that you don’t have to choose between strong trade and strong values. We are delivering both.”The legislation, tabled last Friday, would allow the federal government to identify products believed to be connected to forced labour and subject them to seizure under the Customs Act.“We can’t forget our fundamental values and especially our commitment towards human rights,” Anand said. “Our trade needs to reflect those values. Forced labour has no place in Canadian supply chains and does not have a place in the products we have on our shelves.”Bloc Québécois MP Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe questioned how the government could reconcile the proposed legislation with its decision earlier this year to grant Chinese automakers a five-year import quota covering 278,989 battery electric vehicles.“There is forced labour in the supply chain for Chinese electric vehicles,” Brunelle-Duceppe told the committee.Human rights organizations have documented links between China's auto sector and aluminum processed in Xinjiang, where Uyghur Muslims have reportedly been subjected to forced labour programs. A 2024 Human Rights Watch report estimated Xinjiang produces 9% of the world's aluminum supply..Brunelle-Duceppe asked Anand whether Chinese electric vehicles would be included on the list of prohibited goods once the legislation becomes law.“I cannot confirm what will be on the list,” Anand replied.The minister again declined to commit when asked whether products proven to contain forced-labour inputs would automatically be banned.“We will have a list and then we will come back to this committee in order to discuss it,” Anand said. “At that time I will be able to discuss who will be on the list and who will not.”The issue has drawn criticism because the Liberal government approved a substantial import quota for Chinese electric vehicles on March 11, giving Chinese manufacturers access to roughly half of Canada's EV market over the next five years.Margaret McCuaig-Johnston, a former assistant deputy minister of finance, raised concerns about the policy during recent testimony before the Commons industry committee.“I would not trade off torture and armed surveillance of Uyghurs in Xinjiang for a marginal added number of cheap cars in Canada,” she said.McCuaig-Johnston cited research indicating bauxite is shipped to Xinjiang, processed into aluminum using Uyghur forced labour and then supplied to vehicle and auto-parts manufacturers.“It is illegal to import products in Canada made in whole or in part with forced labour,” she told MPs..Conservative Sen. Leo Housakos also questioned the government's approach, accusing Ottawa of applying a double standard when dealing with China.“The government’s hypocrisy when dealing with China is breathtaking,” Housakos said during Senate Question Period.“If the government is serious about dealing with forced labour, what has it done for example to prevent products coming in from Xinjiang at our ports?” he asked. “With regard to all these electric vehicle deals with China, have we done a deep dive to find out the various components on those EVs that could possibly be coming from these forced labour camps?”
