Toyota to be investigated by Ottawa

The federal government will work with the opposition to have a parliamentary committee investigate the Toyota recalls, the parliamentary secretary to the prime minister said Friday.

Pierre Poilievre told reporters that the government wants the standing committee on transport, infrastructure and communities to hold hearings into the recall when Parliament resumes March 3.

The opposition is supporting the plan, the CBC reported, so the committee can get moving as soon as possible, and MPs can pose questions directly to Toyota officials.

Toyota Canada said it would welcome the opportunity to address the committee.

"Toyota looks forward to the opportunity to participate in the formal hearings to ensure issues are on the record for all Canadians to understand," the company said in a news release.

Poilievre said the questions could include:

• How did this happen?
• How did the defect go undetected?
• What should government and industry do to prevent it recurring?

In a letter to Merv Tweed, chair of the standing committee, Tory MP Jeff Watson asked for the hearing and said: "I am very concerned that Canadian families have been exposed to potentially unsafe vehicles." 

Poilievre noted that the U.S. government has already begun hearings into Toyota, and has heard "gut-wrenching stories."

Toyota recalled about 270,000 vehicles in Canada and 4.2 million vehicles worldwide in January because the gas pedal could stick.

The company announced a fix on Feb. 1.