Industry Minister Mélanie Joly says Chinese electric vehicle makers are pressing for greater access to Canada, despite unresolved questions over how imports would comply with a federal ban on goods made with forced labour.Blacklock's Reporter says Joly made the remarks after returning from a trip to the People’s Republic of China, where she met with state-subsidized automakers interested in shipping vehicles to Canada and potentially launching joint ventures here.“All the different Chinese electric vehicle automakers I met are interested in having access to the 49,000 Chinese EV quota and at the same time are willing to explore creating joint ventures in Canada in order to produce in Canada,” Joly told reporters.Asked whether Ottawa was still prepared to increase the import quota annually, Joly replied: “That quota would be increasing.”Cabinet on March 11 guaranteed Chinese battery electric vehicle makers an import quota of 278,989 vehicles over five years, equal to roughly half of all battery electric vehicle sales in Canada.The government has not explained how those vehicles would pass existing restrictions on slave-made imports.Chinese electric vehicles have faced scrutiny from the U.S. Department of Labour, Human Rights Watch and other analysts over allegations that aluminum parts have been sourced from Uyghur Muslim forced labour camps in Xinjiang Province.Parliament has twice in five years censured China for genocide against Uyghur Muslims, including through “forced sterilization, forced labour, torture and other atrocities,” according to a 2023 Liberal-sponsored motion passed unanimously by the House of Commons.Joly declined to directly address the issue during May 4 testimony at the Commons industry committee.“What we will do when it comes to forced labour, we will address that through legislation,” she said..Conservative MP Ted Falk asked Joly whether she believed forced labour exists in China.“Listen, that’s a question you should ask the Minister of Foreign Affairs,” replied Joly.When pressed for her own view, Joly said Canada would “always follow what the United Nations is saying.”“I am not the Minister of Foreign Affairs anymore,” she added when asked again whether she agreed forced labour exists in China.Conservative MP Raquel Dancho accused Joly of reversing course after Ottawa previously imposed a 100% tariff on Chinese electric vehicles over unfair trade concerns.“In September 2024 when you were foreign affairs minister you imposed a 100% tariff on Chinese electric vehicles,” Dancho told Joly. “You called it an EV Surtax Order because, and I quote, ‘increasing Chinese electric vehicle imports are expected to undermine the growth and development of the Canadian electric vehicle industry.’”“You’ve made a deal with China that directly undermines the Canadian auto industry,” said Dancho. “That is really in your own words.”
