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Julie Dzerowicz Member of Parliament
Davenport

Table of Contents 

Davenport friends & neighbours:

There is a lot happening. So let’s just dive in!

The Alberta MOU: A Plan for a Plan

Yesterday, Prime Minister Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith signed an MOU (memorandum of understanding) that has generated a lot of headlines. I want to be clear about what this is — and what it is not.

This is not a pipeline. We did not agree to build a pipeline. We agreed to a framework for exploring whether a pipeline could be built. And there’s a big difference.

Canada is a federation. For any pipeline to reach the northwest coast of British Columbia, we need real buy-in from BC. We need meaningful partnership with Indigenous communities who must co-own and benefit directly from any project. And we need a private sector proponent willing to finance and build it. Each one of these steps will be extraordinarily difficult to achieve.

We are also committed to ensuring that any project — if it ever gets there — meets our emissions targets. This is not negotiable.

Why even pursue this conversation? Because we need to work together as a country. At a time when Canada is under economic attack from the US, when both our quality of life and our sovereignty are at risk, we have to strengthen our internal economy and mobilize around our key strengths. We need to redirect our best resources to trusted global trading partners — and we need to do this together as a nation.

We are already working with Alberta on multiple fronts to help them develop their resources responsibly; and we are moving additional barrels via the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion —destined for Asian markets.

Alberta will be amping up its emissions reductions. In exchange for this MOU, Alberta has committed to stronger industrial carbon pricing that will ramp up to a minimum of $130 per tonne. They’ve committed to invest in the Pathways carbon capture project — potentially the largest in the world — to make Alberta oil among the lowest carbon intensity produced anywhere. And they’ve agreed to reduce methane emissions by 75% over the next decade.

There is a fine balance here. We need to work with every province on ideas that strengthen Canada’s internal economy, that support Canadian workers, and that help us become less reliant on a single trading partner. That’s what this is about.

Buy Canadian: Steel, Aluminum, and Lumber

On Wednesday of this week, Prime Minister Carney announced new measures to protect and transform our steel and lumber industries. The reality is stark: in 2024, 90% of our steel, aluminum, and forest products went to the US. This is a major vulnerability.

We introduced a series of actions and measures that will require federal defence and construction contracts over $25 million to prioritize Canadian materials — our steel, our aluminum, our lumber. We’re tightening quotas on foreign steel imports to create space for Canadian producers. We’re cutting freight rates by 50% to ship steel and lumber across Canada. Also, we’re boosting the Softwood Lumber Development Program to $1.2 billion in loan support.

With the massive nation-building projects in Budget 2025 — housing, infrastructure, defence — we will be our own best customer. We were selling 90% of our steel and lumber to the US. Now we’re building at home, with Canadian materials, for Canadian workers.

Our Economy is Growing

Today’s GDP report shows that Canada’s economy grew 2.6% in the third quarter — well above the Bank of Canada’s forecast of 0.5% and well above market expectations. Among G7 economies that have released their Q3 figures, Canada ranked first.

This growth happened even as trade uncertainty and tariff pressures continued to weigh on us. It’s not all rosy. We still face challenges. But, it shows our resilience.

Budget 2025’s plan to spend less and invest more through generational investments will help build Canada’s economy to be the strongest in the G7 and deliver better-paying jobs.

Diversifying Our Trade: UAE and Beyond

We are serious about strengthening Canada and protecting our sovereignty. Prime Minister Carney’s visit to the UAE — the first by a Canadian Prime Minister since 1983 — secured historic commitments. The UAE has agreed to invest $70 billion in Canada across energy, AI, critical minerals, and infrastructure. This is a massive vote of confidence in our economy.

At the G20 in South Africa, PM Carney met with leaders from Brazil, South Africa, and many others to deepen trade relationships. With Brazil’s President Lula, we discussed opportunities to expand bilateral trade and investment — building on our reopened discussions for a Canada-Mercosur Free Trade Agreement. With South Africa, we closed negotiations on a Nuclear Cooperation Agreement for clean energy collaboration.

Canada is going after investment. We are diversifying our trade. We are not going to be dependent on a single partner.

Ukraine: Standing for Peace and Security

Let me be direct about something. The 28-point plan that the US initially presented around “peace” in Ukraine was not a peace plan. It was a capitulation plan. No one took it as a genuine path to peace.

Canada has joined European countries as part of the Coalition urgently working on a real path to end the war in Ukraine — one that ensures lasting peace, protects Ukraine’s democracy, and maintains its sovereignty.

If we do not do this, if Ukraine loses, then might makes right. Large countries like Russia can simply take over smaller countries. Europe will be at risk. And so will the entire rules-based international order that has kept the world relatively peaceful for decades.

We cannot lose this battle. This is about more than Ukraine. This is about the kind of world we want to live in.

Moon launch – February 2026

This week, Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen visited Parliament Hill for a Member of Parliament send-off. Jeremy is scheduled to launch on the Artemis II mission as early as February 5, 2026 — a 10-day journey around the Moon that will make him the first Canadian to travel to the Moon and only the second country ever to have an astronaut fly around it. What an incredible moment for Canada. We are so proud of him! Scroll below to the MP report to see the man himself, Jeremy Hansen!

Halifax International Security Forum

I was in Halifax last weekend for the 17th annual Halifax International Security Forum. This year’s theme was “Dialogue, Decency, Democracy” — a focus that could not be more timely. As Chair of the Canada NATO Parliamentary Association, it was essential for me to be there, engaging with defence leaders from over 80 countries, including nine US senators, to discuss collective security challenges facing democratic allies. At a time when the rules-based international order is being challenged on multiple fronts, Canada’s role in hosting this summit — the only event of its kind in North America — demonstrates our commitment to defending democratic values and working with allies to address the most pressing security issues of our time.

Have a wonderful weekend, Davenport. As always, it is a true honour and pleasure to serve you!

With gratitude and warm regards,

Julie Dzerowicz
Member of Parliament, Davenport