Thank you, Chair.
I want to go likewise to a line of questioning similar to the Chair's, and I am going to open this one up as well.
He mentioned that the ratio of investments is about four to one or maybe not quite that. The trade imbalance is also pretty close to four to one. I understand there are things that can be produced much more cheaply in China. I understand the free market system. I'm a big advocate of that system. I think it's one that's given the whole globe a prosperous...especially at this particular time.
However, the question I left with in the last round had to do with what indication we have that the Chinese are going to invest in Canada. What's the upside for us? Let's take away from the investment. I represent an area in southwestern Ontario that has been decimated in terms of manufacturing jobs, so it's incumbent on me to be sure that we can offer the Chinese something that they need from us.
I was talking to the agriculture minister yesterday and he indicated that there are a billion-plus Chinese. If everybody ate another hamburger and drank another beer, we couldn't supply them with what they needed. Where do we see that trade starting to happen? I understand the trade that the banks are involved in, but my constituents understand things at the grassroots level. That's not a difficult thing.
I want to finish off, and I hope you caught the point on those COSCO ships. Those were new ships. There are two stories there. First of all, there is the fact that there are eight decommissioned ships taking goods across. Those goods are coming to North America—and to the rest of the world, I suppose—but at what point will we start to see some of that trade starting to flow our way? When will we start to see the Chinese buying the products we can offer them? I want to know why this particular deal is going to be helpful in that respect.
I'm opening it up to anybody.