International Trade committee  Discussions have already begun under the framework of the joint study, but now they must continue, because we have to decide whether there will be a parallel agreement on the environment. This is what we have done in the past, but not the Japanese. They usually do not have parallel agreements on the environment in their free trade agreements.

International Trade committee  The answer is similar to the one I gave you regarding the environment. Our approach in free trade agreements is a little bit different, but we will work with Japan, from an international point of view, on matters concerning the protection of workers. In that regard, we do not have any concerns regarding working conditions in Japan.

International Trade committee  As I said in response to an earlier question about government procurement, we have just obtained a substantial increase in government procurement opportunities bilaterally through the multilateral process under the WTO auspices. This is literally just happening now, and the approach that we take on government procurement with Japan, in a bilateral context, would have to be informed by that.

International Trade committee  To the extent that there are going to be disciplines that might have an impact on them, that's possible. But at the moment I'm not seeing that the kind of negotiation we will have would have direct impacts on municipalities.

International Trade committee  It's a bit difficult to speculate, since we're not in the TPP, so we don't have all that much clarity in terms of how the architecture would work there. From what we understand, the current members are wrestling with exactly that question, because a lot of them already have separate arrangements among some of the members.

International Trade committee  What I would say is that the last broad regional negotiation that we were a part of was the free trade area of the Americas, and that ultimately did not succeed. Given that there could be no guarantee that it would succeed—and I'm not suggesting the TPP is going to go that way—then I think it would be in Canada's interest—

International Trade committee  —and Japan's interest, for that matter, to pursue both.

International Trade committee  We put a solicitation out to everybody to send us any comments. I don't know off the top of my head whether any environmental groups provided submissions. I don't think so. To my knowledge, we have not proactively consulted with environmental groups. If there's going to be a negotiation of an environmental side agreement, that's something that our colleagues at Environment Canada probably would do.

International Trade committee  I will ask my colleague Denis Landreville to answer your question.

International Trade committee  —and then the rationale for it, because it is a very technical field. So rather than claiming knowledge I don't have, I would prefer to commit to following up with something perhaps in writing.

International Trade committee  Indeed it is not the first. In fact, I was directly involved in the earlier joint study process in 2006-07. Timing is everything and as a result of changes that are ongoing domestically within Japan now and of where we are with regard to our own trade policy orientation, the timing seems to be ideal to move forward with this initiative at this time.

International Trade committee  I'm not sure that the initiative with Japan will generate exactly the same response the CETA negotiation has generated. That would be my first point. The main point is that we will be in lockstep with the provinces and territories as this moves forward. I think there is a broad-based understanding of the importance not only of the Japanese market but also of the Asia Pacific region as a whole.

International Trade committee  It would be an enhanced degree of stability and security that we could afford to investors on both sides. Through the investment agreement, we would be taking obligations in relation to national treatment and most favoured nation, basically non-discrimination provisions, with the ability, then, to have recourse to international arbitration.

International Trade committee  Certainly not from the standpoint of the investor-state mechanism. In terms of what obligations may end up in an eventual government procurement chapter, we haven't even started to negotiate, so I'm not able to speculate on what the outcome there might be.

International Trade committee  To the extent that through free trade we stimulate imports from Japan, they could benefit a wide variety of consumer and industrial interests across Canada. We're talking about a very large, sophisticated trade relationship, which is why it's difficult for me to give specific examples here or there.