Canada-Panama Economic Growth and Prosperity Act  More importantly, when we sign this free trade agreement with Panama, which will enable it to acquire cheaper food because it will be tariff free, kids will be sent to school with food in their bellies. That is a terrible thought, apparently, for the NDP anti-trade group. I shake my head. I had great hopes for the New Democratic Party in this Parliament. It said that it was going to support trade and look at the trade deals for what they were.

Canada-Panama Economic Growth and Prosperity Act  That would be great for my riding and all Canadians. I cannot understand why the New Democrats, the anti-trade group sitting over there, just cannot get it. Can they not understand that Canada is an exporting nation? If we want to seek growth and to give prosperity to our kids, this is what we have to do.

Canada-Panama Economic Growth and Prosperity Act  Speaker, I thank the member for vigorously and openly defending the NDP agenda, which is anti-trade. It is a desire to go back to a better day, when Canadians were poorer and we could not export our products. It is a desire to amputate two-thirds of the Canadian economy, which is trade based.

International Trade  Speaker, I thank the member for his hard work for the constituents of Medicine Hat. The NDP is truly a party that is beholden to the big union bosses and the radical anti-trade activists. In opposing trade and investment, the NDP and its special interest factors continue to fearmonger and misrepresent the facts. These are challenging times for the global economy and our government is engaged in the most ambitious pro-trade plan in Canadian history.

Foreign Investment  What we will not advocate for are the kinds of policies advocated by the members of the NDP who are anti-trade, anti-investment, against the development of natural resources and for a job-killing carbon tax of $21 billion that would be put on the shoulders of Canadians. We will not stand for it.

Canada-Panama Economic Growth and Prosperity Act  Unfortunately, that did not happen because of delays caused by the opposition members, specifically the New Democrats who, as we know, are anti-trade and anti-investment. The New Democrats have accused our government of trying to fast-track the Canada-Panama free trade agreement through Parliament. We are talking about two and a half years and it is still not done because of all kinds of delays and obstacles presented by the New Democrats.

Foreign Investment  Speaker, the member should talk about what the chamber of commerce is thinking about NDP policies: anti-trade, anti-investment and a carbon tax of $21 billion on the shoulders of Canadians that would raise the price of everything, including gasoline and groceries. Did the NDP ask that question of the chamber of commerce?

Foreign Investment  Speaker, we are open for foreign investment and each investment has to provide a net benefit for our country. However, on clarity, the members on the other side of the House are anti-trade, anti-investment and they offer a carbon tax that would put a $21 billion burden on the shoulders of Canadian taxpayers. We will not go down that path.

International Trade  We want to create the same benefits for our workers in the EU market. Despite these facts, the NDP and professional anti-trade activists continue to resurrect the same old, tired arguments. Canadians know the NDP has consistently opposed our government's efforts to open up new markets for Canadian exporters.

International Trade  It did not increase in August. The irony, however, is that the NDP's recklessness and irresponsible anti-trade agenda, which it would impose upon Canada, would put Canada's trade deficit to zero; not decrease it, but put it to zero. Ever since the NAFTA, the NDP has opposed trade and it continues to oppose trade.

International Trade committee  The NDP had three opposition days to debate it. Unfortunately, they did not put any priority on it. I understand they are anti-trade and—

International Trade  However, surprisingly the NDP has already missed three opportunities to debate it in the House with opposition days. Canadians know that New Democrats are anti-trade. Today they know that they are also anti-investment. Shame on them.

Foreign Investment  Again, I repeat: this transaction is being and will be carefully studied. We know that generally speaking, the NDP is anti-investment and anti-trade. That is not what we believe in. We believe in a prosperous Canada, and the way that happens is by being open to foreign investment.

International Trade  The only reference to trade in the NDP platform is to its cap and trade carbon tax that would raise the price of everything for Canadian workers including gas, hydro and groceries. On top of harming the interests of hard-working Canadians and their families, the anti-trade agenda of the New Democrats and their radical activist supporters would deny a better life to the millions of people in the emerging economies with which Canada is deepening its relationships, countries just like Colombia.

International Trade  Our government did not do any assessments prior to signing this agreement. New Democrats took a principled stand against this deal not because we were anti-trade, as the Conservative camp often says. On the contrary, we are and always have been supportive of expanding trade opportunities for Canadian business. We opposed this deal because the Conservative government ignored experts and moved forward with an extreme trade agenda that ignored human rights.