Sima Acan
Oakville West, Ontario · Liberal · Canada
“Madam Speaker, my colleague mentioned that we have not consulted with the Privacy Commissioner. I want to mention that this is the wrong information, and I believe that my colleague was misinformed before her speech. The Privacy Commissioner said at the committee, “I would not say that we were not consulted in this instance.”
“Madam Speaker, I enjoy working with my colleague at committee, as well as with my colleague from Oshawa , who also expressed concern about not having enough time to ask questions at committee. With respect, every member of the committee has the same time allocated.”
“However, we heard 10 hours of witness testimonies, plus three hours with the officials. We had over 40 briefs and lots of witnesses on that study. Filibustering, unfortunately, is not allowing us to move on the amendments. The amendments are on the table.”
“Mr. Speaker, with a background in public safety projects, I recognize that cyber-threats pose a growing risk to Canadians, and our government is confronting this challenge head-on. Last week, Bill C-8 , the act respecting cybersecurity, passed third reading in the Senate and is now awaiting royal assent.”
“Madam Speaker, I am pleased to rise today at third reading of Bill S‑228 , an act to amend the Criminal Code. At the outset, I would like to thank the sponsor of the legislation in the Senate, the Hon. Senator Yvonne Boyer, for her leadership, dedication and tireless advocacy on this issue.”
“Respect for free and informed consent is another of those principles, as is the dignity of every person. Bill S-228 reflects those values. I also want to acknowledge the many organizations, advocates, academics, medical professionals and community leaders who have contributed to this conversation.”
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“Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned in my speech, during committee studies and while answering all the questions from the floor, this bill is a critical bill to protect not only Canadians but also Canadians' information and data. Every year, the amount of ransom money that companies have to pay criminals is huge. This bill would help protect those companies. It would not only protect those companies, but also protect Canadians, their privacy and their data.”
“Mr. Speaker, there is a lot of misinformation about that. The minister would not have the power over individuals, but over telecom companies. The minister would have the power to shut down a telecommunication infrastructure company, if needed, if there were to be a cyber-attack, before it could spread to other critical infrastructure.”
“Mr. Speaker, the hon. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety also works with us at the SECU committee. This bill is about the telecommunications sector. It is about the energy, financial and transportation sectors. It is about our critical infrastructure. As Canadians and as legislators, our primary duty is to protect our country and to protect our people, Canadians. The bill has nothing to do with freedom of speech. The government would have no reach into people's privacy. We will continue to make sure that the government is working for the protection of its systems and Canadians.”
“Mr. Speaker, my colleague also has a technical background, and we enjoy talking about IT infrastructure at different times. I will be very clear that Bill C-8 already has provisions in place that would prohibit the government from overreach when it comes to the privacy of Canadians. This is in the bill already. The bill is about the infrastructure of our country. It is only about the protection of our critical infrastructure and has nothing to do with overreach into people's privacy. There are also provisions and prohibitions that would prevent the government from ordering the decoding of encrypted private communications.”
“Mr. Speaker, the reason we have to pass a bill that protects Canada and Canadians is that we are at a critical point, and we have to work together as legislators. Our first and primary job is to protect Canada. Cybersecurity in this era is a must. It is the number one protection for our borders. Not only do we have borders with our neighbours, but we also have borders in cyberlife as well, so we need to make sure it is protected and that our critical infrastructure is not being attacked by those criminals, so we can protect our country. I can extend this example to nuclear power, traffic lights and our banking system. Imagine waking up one day to a critical mess that is not an American movie scenario.”
“Mr. Speaker, I really enjoyed my time studying Bill C-8 at the committee stage with my colleague from the Bloc. She had tremendous input into this study. We also adopted amendments from the Bloc and the NDP for points where they saw that the bill could be improved. All these amendments have been implemented, and I really appreciate their input in this study. The bill has been studied in depth, and the experts were very useful and helpful in helping us understand it.”
“Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my colleague and her comments. I really enjoy talking to her when it comes to technical issues too. In this bill, we are already addressing cyber-attacks and protection against cyber-attacks, and that also includes hardware protection. That has been studied in the committee. I will be happy to share all the details with my colleague later on, but they can be found in the transcripts of the committee studies.”
“I urge all members to reject these attempts to create an anonymous, delayed and unenforceable security regime. Let us finally pass a bill that is fast, technical and robust enough to protect Canada from the sophisticated threats of today and tomorrow. I would also urge my Conservative colleagues to listen to the technical experts, those who work on the front lines of cybersecurity, who understand these risks, who explained them during the long hours of committee study, and who have expressed clear support for Bill C-8 . Canada cannot afford delays, loopholes or half measures when it comes to defending our critical infrastructure and our country. The evidence is clear, and the experts have spoken. It is time to act and support this bill for Canadians and our protection.”
“This part is absolutely critical, and I hope the Conservatives are paying very close attention, because the stakes here could not be higher. Canada's critical infrastructure faces a sophisticated threat landscape, not only from individual cybercriminals but with state-sponsored actors moving beyond espionage to pre-position for potential cyber-sabotage according to the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security's “National Cyber Threat Assessment in 2025-2026”. The report emphasizes that alongside these threats, ransomware remains the primary cybercrime threat making proactive readiness and resilience essential to national security. Addressing this urgent threat, Bill C-8 is critical to mandate robust security standards and incident reporting across federally regulated sectors, moving beyond voluntary compliance to safeguard national security.”
“We are ensuring that solicitor-client privilege and professional secrecy are never affected, giving companies the peace of mind to be fully transparent with security agencies without fear of losing legal protections. Instead of surrendering our sovereignty to outside standards bodies, as the Conservatives proposed, we are ensuring that the government can seek consistency with international best practices while keeping the final word on Canada's security right here in this House. In conclusion, Bill C-8 is about collective defence. It is about ensuring that when a bank, a power grid or a telecom provider is attacked, our whole country can see it, stop it and learn from it. We cannot afford to have a bill filled with the holes and technical blind spots proposed by the Conservatives.”
“If a company is fined based on evidence from a source that the government is legally barred from naming, a judge will almost certainly strike down that fine, because the company cannot verify the credibility of the evidence against them. While we oppose these dangerous loopholes, our government has proposed constructive safeguards to ensure that Bill C-8 respects the rights and privacy of Canadians, unlike the misinformation spread by the Conservatives. We have introduced amendments to explicitly prohibit the decoding of encrypted private communications. This provides legal certainty that the critical cyber systems protection act is about protecting infrastructure, not spying on the private lives of Canadians.”
“At committee, the Conservatives sought to make this bill legally unenforceable by proposing that individuals should be fined only if they knowingly break security rules. This is a massive technical loophole, because, by requiring the government to prove wilful intent, we could no longer hold executives accountable for gross negligence or sloppy security practices that leave Canadian data exposed to hostile actors. (1325) Additionally, they proposed prohibiting the government from identifying the individuals who provide information about security risks. While protecting whistle-blowers is important, this creates a procedural fairness trap.”
“Effective cyber-defence and resilience rely on seeing the near misses, small probes and minor incidents that are often the only early warning signs of a massive, coordinated cyber-scheme, which can lead to a much more evolved and even advanced cyber-attack. If we allow companies to stay silent until the damage is already material and measurable, we lose our ability to provide a collective defence and warn the rest of the country about a spreading threat. We cannot afford to wait until a critical system has already been compromised before our security agencies are allowed to see the smoke. We must be blunt about how certain proposals from the Conservatives during the committee study would cripple enforcement and accountability under this act.”
“For example, a highly critical signal intelligence, such as an attack indicator that points to a detection of a malware beacon or a computer worm, can be embedded directly within what a lawyer might call content. By excluding this, the Conservatives would legally forbid our experts from regulating the very data streams used to carry out high-level system disruptions. We must also be wary of creating what I call a silent breach loophole in our national defences. During the committee stage, the Conservatives tried to narrow incident reporting so that companies would be required to report only events that have or may have an adverse material impact. This is reactive, not proactive. This is 20th-century thinking that ignores the technical realities of modern warfare.”
“The government must be able to act and respond swiftly. Requiring a judicial sign-off for every technical directive would cause major delays that would allow cybercriminals to face less resistance and achieve their objectives to further damage our critical systems. We must be incredibly careful not to blind our defences and readiness with technicalities. Perhaps the most technically dangerous proposal from the Conservatives was the attempt to exclude the content of intelligence from our security oversight. While this may sound like a privacy protection to the uninitiated, it is actually a technical trap. ln cybersecurity, the distinction between content and signal intelligence is often blurred.”
“Unfortunately, during our study it became alarmingly clear that the Conservatives are attempting to dismantle and obstruct this critical piece of legislation through a series of loophole amendments that would leave Canada's digital borders wide open to exploitation. lnstead of supporting the regulatory processes outlined in this legislation, Conservatives attempted to introduce additional steps to slow down our ability to react and be in line with our Five Eyes partners. Cyberwarfare does not happen on a schedule that respects the time of security experts or federal courts. If a cybercriminal or threat actor establishes a foothold into our systems and performs a lateral movement through our telecommunications network in real time, judicial authorization could take up to six or even 18 months, as we repeatedly heard from the experts.”
“As someone with a technical background, I already understood many of the challenges cybersecurity experts and companies face, but I paid extra attention, asked the hard questions and made sure that every concern was thoroughly examined. Even after I presented the technical facts opposing the Conservatives' technically zero and very dangerous amendments, they themselves verified the correctness of what I said with experts during the committee study. I am confident that Bill C-8 is robust, practical and fully equipped to protect Canada's most critical digital infrastructure from the sophisticated threats of today and tomorrow. Let me be clear. The bill reflects the government's commitment to public safety and keeping our telecommunications secure.”
“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak to the vital importance of Bill C-8 , an act respecting cybersecurity. ln our current digital age and threat landscape, the protection of our mission-critical infrastructure is not just a technical requirement but a matter of national security, public safety and sovereignty. Bill C-8 is built on two essential pillars, part 1, which amends the Telecommunications Act to make security a primary policy objective, and part 2, which enacts the critical cyber systems protection act. This legislation is designed to safeguard the digital systems that underpin our most vital services, from banking and clearing systems to interprovincial pipelines and nuclear energy facilities. As a member of the public safety and national security committee, I can say that this legislation was studied extensively.”
“Mr. Speaker, the leaders from Unifor, whom I also had the chance to meet yesterday, have clearly stated that they were not consulted, and they have raised serious concerns that the Conservatives' proposal lacks key details and risks undermining jobs across the sector. I am curious. Why did the Conservatives choose to try to develop a national auto strategy without engaging the very workers whose livelihoods are at stake, and why are they ignoring the concerns raised by the biggest auto union in the country?”
“Mr. Speaker, I have good news: our leader today, the Minister of Public Safety , tabled a bill respecting lawful access, with the underlying objective of giving law enforcement agencies the modern tools they need to combat organized crime, as well as further capacity to act swiftly to prevent criminal activities such as extortion. Could the Minister of Public Safety elaborate on the critical importance of the bill and how the passage of the legislation would contribute to the safety and security of all Canadians from coast to coast to coast?”
“These investments have supported over 400,000 participants, while strengthening and creating over 4,500 partnerships between community organizations, employers and service providers. I am proud to be a part of a government that recognizes and supports women's success, economic opportunities, growth, participation and equality. When women succeed, everyone benefits.”
“Mr. Speaker, in recognition of International Women's Day, I joined SAVIS and Halton Women's Place to honour the strength, resilience and contribution of women in my riding of Oakville West and across Canada. The role women have played in our Canadian story has always been one of strengthening our communities, driving innovation and shaping a more inclusive future. A key pillar of that is women's economic participation. That is why our government is investing, through the women's program and WAGE, to support projects that break down barriers to women's economic equality. Since 2018, the program has invested over $266 million in more than 700 completed projects across the country.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is so obvious that the other side of the aisle does not really understand what the subsidy is for. It subsidizes Canadian consumers in a huge industry in the supply chain, and it supports workers. There are workers in my riding of Oakville West, and they are powering our economy. When these times hit our economy, we have to be fast, fair and reliable. This is only one of the measures we are taking as a government. I also want to mention that Unifor is supporting us, auto dealers are supporting us, auto manufacturers are supporting us, workers are supporting us, and I am curious as to why you are not supporting us.”
“Mr. Speaker, the $1.5-billion investment in infrastructure will allow consumers to charge their vehicles wherever they want. This is a very important investment. Also, as I mentioned in my response to the previous question, investing in that infrastructure will improve our electricity industry as well, because we will need more power. We are investing in those areas to support this infrastructure with clean energy.”
“Mr. Speaker, as we are investing $2.3 billion, we are also investing $1.5 billion in charging infrastructure. Those stations also need power, for which we also announced measures in budget 2025, aiming to ensure that Canada has the clean and affordable energy needed to support our industries, including the auto sector. This was also included in the announcement made by the Prime Minister on February 5.”
“Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the subsidy, the information given by the opposition is always inaccurate. We are subsidizing Canadian consumers and protecting Canadian jobs in an integrated North American supply chain that supports hundreds of thousands of jobs in the Canadian market and the Canadian manufacturing sector. Our strategic strength is in Canadian manufacturing, securing investments in Canada and ensuring we remain competitive and leaders in this industry.”
“Backed by a world-class workforce, globally recognized parts suppliers and leading-edge research and development, Canada's automotive sector is building the vehicles for today, and it will help build the vehicles of tomorrow.”
“I would also like to mention the help we will provide to the auto workers who will build the vehicles amid short-term uncertainty. To protect Canadian auto workers and businesses from immediate pressures while helping bridge them to the future, the government will provide support to employees through a new work-sharing grant, preventing layoffs and supporting worker retention so that businesses can plan for the future. In addition, up to 66,000 workers across Canada, including affected auto workers, will receive employment assistance and re-skilling support as part of a $570-million investment. (1325) These strategic decisions and generational investments aim to build a strong Canadian auto sector, where Canadian workers build the cars of the future.”
“For example, Canada recently deepened its strategic partnership with the Republic of Korea by signing a memorandum of understanding to strengthen Canadian-Korean industrial collaboration for future mobility. The recently announced new relationship with China aims to drive new Chinese joint venture investment in Canada and allow for a fixed volume of Chinese EV imports into the Canadian market. Although countertariffs on auto imports from the United States will be maintained, the government will continue to advance its auto strategy within an integrated North American automotive industry. By making strategic investments and solidifying trade partnerships, Canada is positioning itself as a global leader in vehicle electrification, autonomous and self-driving technologies, and the battery supply chains that will power the future of mobility.”
“To accelerate investments in Canada's automotive manufacturing sector, the government will also allocate $3 billion from the strategic response fund and up to $100 million from the regional tariff response initiative to help the auto industry adapt, grow and diversify. We will also take advantage of the productivity superdeduction and reduce corporate tax rates for zero-emission technology manufacturers to encourage investments in clean technologies and EVs as well as strengthen Canada's automotive remission framework to reward companies that build in Canada. The government will also establish a comprehensive trade regime that strengthens the auto sector through new partnerships.”
“That is why the government will launch a five-year, $2.3-billion EV affordability program that will offer purchase or lease incentives up to $5,000 for battery electric and fuel cell EVs, and up to $2,500 for plug-in hybrids with a final transaction value of up to $50,000 on cars made by countries that Canada has free trade agreements with. To support the Canadian automotive industry, this $50,000 cap will not apply to Canadian-made EVs and plug-in hybrids. The government will also enhance, through the auto strategy, the national EV charging network, through investments of $1.5 billion, including investments in my riding of Oakville West. These will, through the charging and hydrogen refuelling infrastructure initiative, make it convenient for drivers to charge their cars no matter where they are.”
“That is why, on February 5, I was proud to join the Prime Minister as he launched a new strategy to transform Canada's automotive industry. Recognizing that the future of the automotive industry is electrified and connected, the government is prioritizing the development of the full value chain for next-generation vehicles. Within five years, EV sales are projected to reach nearly 40% of global car sales. It is important that Canada is among those at the forefront of that evolution. While repealing the electric vehicle availability standard will allow manufacturers to use new technologies as they respond to consumer preferences to grow domestic demand for EVs, they must become more affordable for working Canadians.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to participate in this debate today. As we all know, times are changing, and in that uncertain world, the government is focused on what we can control. As part of Canada's new industrial strategy, we are transforming our economy with a diversification of trade partnerships as we work to catalyze growth with massive new levels of investment. For over 100 years, Canada's automotive industry has underpinned advanced manufacturing, driven innovation and supported hundreds of thousands of well-paying jobs across the country, including in Oakville. It is as important as ever that we take action to maintain and improve Canada's automotive sector. In fact, we have a unique opportunity to do so.”
“To Stuart's wife and his two daughters, and to all who loved him, I offer my deepest condolences. I want them to know that his service, sacrifice and legacy will never be forgotten by this community.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness that I rise to honour the life and legacy of Captain Stuart Campbell of the Oakville Fire Department, who passed away at the age of 56 after a courageous battle with occupational cancer. Captain Stu served the Oakville community for more than 30 years, spending most of his career at the Bronte fire station. He served with pride, courage, compassion, unity and honour, showing an unwavering commitment to his brothers and sisters at the Oakville Fire Department. His passing is a reminder of the dangers and occupational risks that our first responders face in the line of duty, and our duty in turn is to ensure the safety of our first responders. On behalf of the people of Oakville West, I thank Captain Stuart Campbell for his service and mentorship to the community. He will be remembered.”
“The BIA will strengthen and grow the Canadian economy while driving our historic transformation toward a lower-carbon future, work that companies in my riding of Oakville West and across Canada are already leading with innovation, manufacturing and clean energy supply-chain jobs that Conservatives refuse to support. If Conservatives cannot get on board, can they at least get out of the way and stop blocking this legislation?”
“Mr. Speaker, Conservatives in the House have long claimed that any sort of climate action is unnecessary and that clean technology alone will help lower emissions. What do they do when we introduce investment tax credits to help bolster Canada’s world-class clean-tech sector and the growing clean energy companies creating good, middle-class jobs in communities like my riding of Oakville West? They vote against them. They put petty partisan politics ahead of Canadian industries and Canadian workers. They obstruct and they delay.”
“Mr. Chair, the member for Vancouver Kingsway is talking down our current policies. Apparently, he voted no to budget 2025, so he is not supporting our plans. How does the NDP plan to respond concretely to U.S. tariffs? What is its plan?”
“Mr. Chair, my colleague for Guelph and I worked together for seven months on the auto caucus, which she chairs, and we successfully met with leaders of the industry. I have confidence in our Prime Minister to get our country a good deal. The government wants a good deal. We do not want a rushed deal, which will not work for Canadians. We definitely do not want a bad deal. We currently have the best deal out of all the trading partners of the United States, and we know that the government is working to secure a deal that is suitable for all Canadians and our workers.”
“Mr. Chair, our plan is out there. It is budget 2025, and it is available to the public. Everybody knows our plan, and this is the plan we are behind. I want to remind my colleague from the Conservative Party that, on April 2, 2025, the Conservative leader called for an accelerated renegotiation of the CUSMA agreement and has stated that he would get a deal with the United States. I would like to ask my colleague this: Do Conservatives believe that any deal with the United States is better than no deal, even if it means our strategic sectors would have tariffs maintained?”
“Mr. Chair, auto manufacturing contributes over $16 billion to Canada's GDP and employs over 100,000 Canadians. Through budget 2025, the strategic response fund, which is $5 billion of investment, would support Canadian industries for a stronger and more resilient Canada. This fund would support Canadian businesses exposed to U.S. tariffs, including auto workers across the country and those in my riding of Oakville West. This will also allow our industry to pivot, adapt and diversify as we negotiate a new trade relationship with the U.S.”
“Mr. Chair, I share the same concerns for our auto industry as my colleague from the Niagara region. My riding of Oakville West is a place of auto workers. Unlike the member opposite, I have taken the time since I was elected to meet with industrial leaders, visit factories and listen to the workers. They are highly supportive of the EV mandate, which reflects global trends in a field where Canada is a leader. We will continue supporting our industries, not only the EV mandate, but also expansions of factories, such as the Ford factory in my riding of Oakville.”
“As we work tirelessly to modernize and expand trade agreements, remove barriers and deepen co-operation with reliable trading partners, we will also continue to engage constructively with the United States and Mexico to advance common interests while safeguarding Canadian sovereignty and prosperity. In conclusion, our commitment to building a new Canada-U.S. trade and economic relationship is firm. We will continue to advance Canadian interests. We will remain constructive and focused, and we will do what is necessary to support Canadian workers.”
“We have passed the One Canadian Economy Act, which will make Canada more competitive by eliminating internal barriers and accelerating nation-building projects. We recognize that we must go further. That is why the Prime Minister announced that the government will launch a new trade diversification strategy, which will guide our efforts to deepen Canada's trading relationships globally. We are capitalizing on our existing trade agreements with the EU, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership countries, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and new partners such as Ecuador and Indonesia. We are also negotiating trade agreements with emerging markets like ASEAN, the Philippines, Thailand, India, the U.A.E. and the Mercosur bloc in South America.”
“The government recently concluded a second round of extensive public consultations on CUSMA to ensure that CUSMA continues to reflect Canada's national interests. We will continue to engage with provinces, territories, indigenous communities, industry groups, labour organizations and Canada at large to gather input to prepare for this review. At the same time, this government understands that the old model can no longer be counted on. We must chart a new path that reflects the realities of today's global economy and the needs of Canadians, one that recognizes the importance of the U.S. market while also seizing trade opportunities with new, reliable partners. We are committed to defending Canadian workers and industries and our sovereignty.”
“Redefining our economic relationship with the United States will have significant implications for both nations' automotive industries, given their deeply integrated nature. At every step, the Prime Minister has been clear: We will defend Canadian workers and businesses. Our goal is a strong and reliable automotive industry that benefits Canadian workers. This sector requires more efficient access to supply chains, resources, critical minerals, skilled workers and innovation, all of which Canada possesses. Our government also recognizes that the upcoming scheduled review of CUSMA represents an opportunity to review this trade agreement with our North American partners. We are preparing for the review of CUSMA and will work constructively with our American counterparts to restore stability to our auto sector.”
“Our integrated auto sector is the result of generations of co-operation, going back to 1965 with the auto pact and later the Canada-U.S. FTA, followed by NAFTA and then CUSMA. All of these have had numerous benefits for both Canada and the United States, including lower costs, sustained investments and good middle-class jobs on both sides of the border. U.S. tariffs disrupt supply chains, inflate costs and weaken our collective ability to confront global challenges, particularly those posed by non-market economies. It is because of the importance of the automotive industry that our government is focused on redefining our economic relationship with the U.S., diversifying Canada's exports and building one Canadian economy.”
“Canadian companies operating south of the border employ more than 800,000 Americans. This is a relationship built on decades of collaboration, integration, predictability and mutual benefit. However, we must acknowledge that the foundation of this relationship is shifting. The United States has moved away from its traditional support for multilateralism and open trade toward a more transactional and managed bilateral approach. This shift has real consequences. Tariffs up to 50% on Canadian steel, aluminum, autos, trucks and other critical exports are not only economically harmful; they are destabilizing. Canada-U.S. trade is, without question, fundamental to Canada's automotive industry, one of the most integrated industries in the world.”
“Mr. Chair, I will be sharing my time with the member for Sudbury . It is a privilege to rise today in the House to speak about Canada's trade and economic relationship with the United States and the implications for a foundational employer in my riding of Oakville West, Canada's automotive industry. I know this because, before my election to this Parliament, I worked in the field of industrial automation for many years. I have visited automotive factories in both Canada and the United States, and I know the value of the Canadian workers. North America encompasses a $42-trillion regional market of around 500 million consumers, and Canada's economic partnership with the United States is one of the most significant. Today, approximately 75% of Canadian exports are destined for the U.S. market.”
“Madam Speaker, Bill C-4 , the making life more affordable for Canadians act, puts forward three practical measures that would provide immediate relief for families: lowering taxes for nearly 22 million Canadians, a savings of up to $50,000 in GST relief for first-time homebuyers and permanently removing the carbon tax as of April 1. These steps would work together to help Canadians with income, housing and energy costs at once. We know that the affordability challenges Canadians are facing are serious, and also we know that Canadians are looking for co-operation across party lines. However, we saw many support programs voted down by the Conservatives. Could my hon. colleague explain to us the importance of supporting Bill C-4 so that we can deliver these benefits and beyond to Canadians without delay?”