Prime Minister Mark Carney defended Canada's efforts to keep products made with forced labour out of the supply chain as one of his newest MPs continues to face backlash for appearing to cast doubt on the practice in China.

Carney's response to Michael Ma's performance at committee last week comes during a sensitive moment in both Canada's attempts to reset ties with Beijing and the ongoing trade war with the Trump administration — which is investigating whether its northern neighbour and dozens of other countries are failing to take action on forced labour.

"Canada has the most rigorous set of engagements on the issue," Carney said Monday during a news conference in Toronto, where he was repeatedly questioned about his MP's position on forced labour in China.

Last week Ma, who crossed the floor from the Conservatives to the government side in December, asked an aggressive set of questions at a parliamentary committee while questioning expert witness Margaret McCuaig-Johnston, a senior fellow at the…