Natural resources, metals, wood and various other items form the basis of our trade, particularly in the manufacturing sector. The trend is to setting world prices, in the case of metals, for example. Consequently, the price of resources and metals should be balanced at the world level. However, there are some other considerations such as working conditions, social conditions and the environment.
For example, in response to the Canadian government's lack of interest in the Kyoto agreement, France has actually said that it might impose a special tax on Canadian products, because the government is disregarding the environment. So we do have to respect some international considerations. In addition, the WTO seems inclined to allow France to impose these special taxes. In such a case, we could talk about dumping. Some prices drop when there is a lack of concern for working conditions, social conditions of employees and the environment.
That said, there should be a trend toward the globalization of markets, and that will live us to the globalization of human, economic and social conditions. So there will be very few differences in the basic elements of trade and the ways of doing business. I think that we have reached the most important point, what could be called the knowledge economy and the ability to innovate quickly in order to stay ahead of one's competitors at all times. Without that, we will never get anywhere.
We have to make the rules fairer and more equitable around the world as regards social conditions and the environment. I know your association's objective is to do business and to facilitate trade as much as possible, but as I was saying earlier, you are in a bind. If your exports go up or down, your imports will go down or up accordingly. People will come out ahead. Your overall vision for moving the Canadian economy forward, to avoid what could be called social or environmental dumping—and I come back again to the issue of safeguards—in order to achieve a balance so that the competition—