International Trade Committee on April 18th, 2016

[Scott Kemp]

It's critical. Again, we believe that we have a very strong skill set in our members and would benefit greatly by having that fair opportunity across other countries. The existing MRAs that we have show the benefit of it. As I mentioned, the TPP would allow us to negotiate with some countries that we haven't been able to so far.

[Randy Hoback, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

How does that work? If I'm an architect based here in Vancouver and I want to do a building in Singapore, right now I can't do it. I'm not a resident there; I can't take on that contract, but I could in Mexico and the U.S. because you've got the reciprocity, the ability to go down there and actually do that type of work. Is that fair to say?

[Scott Kemp]

That is correct. With those MRAs, you can gain licensure in those jurisdictions. There is full reciprocity. As an example, in Singapore, you can get a licence, but you can't submit a building permit unless you have residency. Then you are basically hooped. The TPP would remove that, so you would have full, unfettered reciprocity between the two countries.

[Randy Hoback, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

If you are doing a major project in another country, would you go to that country and do all the work there, or would you basically do all the work in Vancouver, because it's all drawings? It is basically design work, if I am correct. That would bring more employment here to British Columbia and to Vancouver in this scenario.

[Scott Kemp]

Very much so, yes. Again, we deal with things electronically. We transfer everything electronically. I do a lot of work on the island. It is all done electronically, whether I do it from Vancouver Island or from a country overseas. It works very fluidly.

[Randy Hoback, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

It doesn't matter anymore, does it?

[Scott Kemp]

No, it doesn't at all.

[Randy Hoback, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

My son works in the U.K., and I talk to him more on Skype than I did when he lived at home. It's funny how that goes these days.

[Scott Kemp]

Yes, it aided our profession greatly.

[Randy Hoback, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

When we talk about IP protection, then, you design a new building, and you want that protected. You want to make sure that you have your blood, sweat, and tears—the work you put into those drawings, into that creation—protected. Do you think it is fairly important to have this in the agreement?

[Scott Kemp]

Oh, yes, that's critical. That's what we like to do. Those are our skill sets. That's what we're providing, so the ability to maintain that ownership is critical.

[Randy Hoback, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

Mr. Waltz, you gave us an example of a direct impact to the number of containers you are moving. Now, if we don't sign this deal, let's say we're not involved with it, what would be the opposite effect? And if we weren't in NAFTA, if we weren't in some of the previous trade deals that we've done in the past, what would you look like today if those had not come to fruition?

[Eric Waltz]

I think if you look at that, for us, we're completely reliant on trade. Anything that would be an impediment to trade will see it drop drastically. For instance, if this wasn't ratified, and then other peoples have easier markets to go to, we could easily see a situation like we saw with the 2008 numbers that dropped. You can easily see two million hours' worth of work that disappear.

When we're talking about that, because those are the numbers I have to give you, that's only our industry, and we're just the last leg of it. That doesn't account for all the job loss across the country.

[Randy Hoback, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

It's important that you have that market access, and that you have that level playing field with your global competitors. Is that not fair to say?

[Eric Waltz]

Absolutely. It's important for us. It's important for all the ILWU union people we employ. It's important for all the industries that support the waterfront, all the maintenance, and everything that goes with it.

[Randy Hoback, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

If they weren't there, and if this wasn't happening, there would be nothing happening on the waterfront.

[Eric Waltz]

Correct. We would have a chance to see those exports go down, to see those hours go down, and the reverse is true also. If we can open up those markets, we see a great opportunity for economic growth. I only took lumber. I only took one market because I had good facts on that, and to me it's nice to look at real numbers and real jobs.

[Randy Hoback, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

Mr. Duggan, you talked about potash and about other goods that are also being shipped through the ports. If we don't have that type of market access, the potash mines of Saskatchewan might as well shut their doors. Farmers might as well just take their fields and turn them back to grass and buffalo.

[Terry Duggan]

Our major competition is the U.S. west coast. Shipping is a very flexible industry. Those ships can call at Seattle, Tacoma, Portland, L.A., and Long Beach instead of Vancouver or Prince Rupert. It's a very, very mobile industry.

[The Chair, Liberal, Mark Eyking]

Thank you.

We'll go to the Liberals now for five minutes.

Mr. Peterson, go ahead, sir.

[Kyle Peterson, Liberal, Newmarket—Aurora, ON]

Thank you, gentlemen, for being here.

My first question is for Mr. Kemp, with the architects.

It's often been said that trade agreements only open doors to other countries. What sense do you have of your membership in terms of actually walking through that door if it were opened? Have you spoken to your members? Is there some consensus that this is a market worth pursuing for our architects here in B.C. and across Canada?

[Scott Kemp]

Yes. Many of our members are already working overseas. This only aids that and increases the markets that are available.

Again, as I mentioned earlier, we have a skill set that's highly valued around the world, and to be able to have the opportunity to design overseas is... every architect would love to do it.

Yes, there is, very much so.

[Kyle Peterson, Liberal, Newmarket—Aurora, ON]

I'm having some trouble understanding. Maybe you can elaborate. What would be new with the TPP that isn't there now, if your members are already accessing those markets? What is the mechanism that would improve the situation under the TPP?

[Scott Kemp]

The TPP mentions the APEC architect project, so it's actually complementary to it. We aren't very active with that project. We hosted the APEC summit here in Vancouver in 2014. Mark and I are going to Malaysia in the fall of this year.

It's actually complementary. It helps us. As I mentioned, we've had challenges in some countries with their rules and regulations. The TPP would assist us overcome those barriers.

[Mark Vernon, Chief Executive Officer, Architectural Institute of British Columbia, Canadian Architectural Licensing Authorities]

A clarification, if I may, with regard to Canadian architects working abroad in countries where there is not recognition of the licensing.

In essence they work behind the scenes. They cannot take the lead in the project, they do not get the credit for the project, and consequently they cannot bring any of the work back to Canada working on the project. They will do it in consultation or in conjunction with a local firm.