International Trade committee  The answer to the last part of the question is correct, but as I pointed out in my opening statement, this is the first time China has accepted any discipline on transparency on any of its investment treaties whatsoever.

International Trade committee  That's not true. The transparency provisions are a reflection of the current Canadian model for that.

International Trade committee  I'll turn to my colleagues on that. What I would say is that prior to 2004, that was not a requirement of the Canadian FIPA model, including the NAFTA. The transparency provisions are a relatively new feature. The FIPAs since 2004 typically would have those provisions, yes.

International Trade committee  The Canadian public policy objective is primarily to ensure that challenges taken against Canadian government measures are arbitrated in a fully transparent manner. That policy objective was served, and we considered it a significant milestone to have brought the Chinese to a point where they've accepted that those kinds of provisions are permissible in the context of this FIPA.

International Trade committee  What I'm confident of is that any challenge against any Canadian measure would be carried out in a fully transparent manner in full accordance with government policy.

International Trade committee  The FIPA permits Canada to exercise its policy preference. It also permits China to exercise its policy preference.

International Trade committee  It's somewhat the other way around. There is no national treatment with respect to establishing an investment, but there is national treatment with respect to the treatment of investment once it's established.

International Trade committee  At the end of 2011, it was $10.9 billion.

International Trade committee  It was $4.5 billion at the end of 2011.

International Trade committee  Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. We certainly appreciate this opportunity to appear before the committee to provide a briefing on the Canada-China foreign investment promotion and protection agreement, or FIPA. I've been introduced, so let me introduce my colleagues who are here with me from the Department of Foreign Affairs.

International Trade committee  In a previous incarnation, Dany was our procurement lead. She's saying that sounds right, but that's from memory; she wouldn't want to swear to it.

International Trade committee  Yes, it's ballpark.

International Trade committee  While Denis looks for that number, I'll just say that I've taken note of all three of your points. I know that tuna is already a big business for us in Japan. I believe we exported $37 million in tuna last year. It certainly will be an area of priority. On the procurement point—

International Trade committee  I'll make a special note of that. Just so there's no misunderstanding, the current coverage of the procurement agreement does not include municipalities. There is no municipal coverage in the current agreement. On beef, I know that our exports have recovered significantly since the BSE ban was lifted.

International Trade committee  It is not quite clear yet what we will be able to negotiate with Japan under a free trade agreement. Canada and Japan both have very high environmental standards, but it is not clear yet whether we will have the same approach in the context of a free trade agreement. That is one of the things we will have to clarify with the Japanese, and that will probably happen at the beginning of the process.