IN THE HOUSE – ‘Will the minister now commit to fixing the Anbang mess?’

(Image: parliament.uk)

Question Period on Thursday, May 24, 2018, on the government’s decision to block the sale of Canadian construction company Aecon Group Inc. to China’s CCCC International Holding Ltd. for $1.5 billion, and the earlier purchase by Anbang Insurance Group of Retirement Concepts for $1 billion. Anbang, which owns 21 retirement homes in B.C. including Kamloops Seniors Village, was later taken over by the Chinese government.

Mrs. Cathy McLeod (Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, CPC):

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the government took our advice and declined to allow the sale of Aecon to a Chinese state-owned enterprise. However, in spite of numerous other requests, the Liberals have arrogantly refused to do the same due diligence with Anbang and our senior care facilities. As we now know, Anbang has collapsed, the chairman was arrested, and our seniors’ homes are owned by communist China. Will the minister now commit to fixing the Anbang mess?

Mr. David Lametti (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, Lib.):
Mr. Speaker, our government is open to investment from other countries. We encourage this because it creates good, middle-class jobs. We do it, though, with careful consideration, depending on the kind of process and the kind of investment. As the decision yesterday proved, we will never compromise our national security. With respect to Cedar Tree and Retirement Concepts, there are guarantees that were put into place. Those guarantees are being followed and monitored, in particular by the provincial government in British Columbia, and we will continue to monitor that situation to make sure that engagements are kept.

Source: Hansard.