Foreign Affairs committee  I can't give you an accurate figure, but the answer is that it is very substantial.

Foreign Affairs committee  It's very substantial, and you could certainly get the information from the TSX.

Foreign Affairs committee  Not every company is going to need to have a counsellor, but it's useful to have that office in place to assist the industry and to assist those who need it. Indeed, you really underscore the point I was trying to make earlier, and that's that we have a number of exemplary companies in Canada who set the standard for the world in terms of the responsibility they demonstrate in their operations.

Foreign Affairs committee  Thank you very much, Mr. Laforest, for your welcome to the committee. Let me respond to you, first of all, with regard to the text of our statement. It was circulated neither in English nor in French to members of the committee. I would have liked to have been able to have had a final version to put in writing in front of all of you.

Foreign Affairs committee  Mr. Laforest, let me simply clarify. I didn't say the bill was based on ideology—I don't think it is. I think the bill is based on the very best possible intentions, which is to ensure that we adhere to high standards in our activities around the world. My concern is that people whose activities are based on ideology, who are inherently opposed to the extractive industries in principle or to the operations of Canadian companies abroad, and whose approach is essentially ideological could use the mechanisms contained in the bill to damage the Canadian interest and damage the interests of the peoples and the communities where those companies are operating.

Foreign Affairs committee  Need...? I'm sorry, I'm having some difficulty here.

Foreign Affairs committee  They can do that now.

Foreign Affairs committee  What they would be able to get with Bill C-300 is that a formal investigation is under way, under Canadian legislation, that could result in the lifting of all government support for this company. Guess what gets the publicity? The allegation gets the publicity—Canadian mining companies or Canadian petroleum companies accused of human rights or environmental abuses.

Foreign Affairs committee  We agree with many of the conclusions of the round tables, not with all of them.

Foreign Affairs committee  Thank you very much, Mr. Rae, for a very thoughtful question. Let me start first with the issue of Talisman. You're quite right, the Talisman situation existed before Bill C-300 was even tabled in the House. So even in the absence of this sort of formal mechanism, which in our view will encourage frivolous or vexatious or unfair allegations to be made against Canadian companies, Canadian companies were at risk of having their reputations damaged, with enormous loss for everybody involved.

Foreign Affairs committee  Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I want to thank you and your colleagues for your warm welcome today. We're delighted to be able to be here. We look forward to having a chance to have an exchange with the committee. As you mentioned, my name is Perrin Beatty. I am president and chief executive officer of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.

Public Safety committee  We would position ourselves as part of the solution as opposed to part of the problem.

Public Safety committee  I guess your question about energy was directed to me. I would prefer to see us use Canada's energy supplies as a carrot rather than as a stick. But again, it can be an important carrot set in this broader context that what we need to do is to engage the Americans on the subject of partnerships--partnerships on the environment, on energy security, on physical security, border management, on trade policy, and a whole range of other areas, but with bold ideas.

Public Safety committee  I don't disagree with you at all. It was said after 9/11 by the U.S. ambassador to Canada that security trumps trade. I think that was wrong. I think insecurity trumps trade. To the extent to which the Americans feel that we don't take security seriously, they'll fortify their own border against Canada.

Public Safety committee  I think the very good thing with the change in administration in the United States is that Canadians will now look at proposals for partnership in a more pragmatic way. I think they're very open. They don't believe the President of the United States gets up in the morning and looks for ways to gobble up Canada.