Our government knows that free and open trade is a powerful engine for growing the economy. That's why in the past six years we've concluded free trade agreements.... I think we're at over 40 countries now—it was 9 countries until very recently, but now I think we're at 42 countries—with which we have a free trade agreement in process or concluded. That's in addition to the foreign investment protection agreements, or FIPAs, that have also been entered into.
However, there are still some people who are doubtful about the need for Canada to become a more globalized trading nation and who sometimes are even going so far as to suggest that Canada should become more protectionist, along the lines of the Buy American trend. In your view, how dangerous would it be for Canada if we were to follow in that sort of vein and follow other countries in this protectionist trend?