Madam Ambassador and Minister Yoda, ladies and gentlemen, welcome. Certainly we've enjoyed very warm relationships for 30 or 40 years now.
The subject I would like to talk about first is the optimism in terms of the mining exploration that is happening, and it involves considerable effort by Canadian mining companies. I'm sure you're aware of a bill that is before the House of Commons now, Bill C-300. There seems to be quite a bit of controversy, certainly from the mining industry itself. We've all had many, many letters from the various mining companies that basically say the bill will disadvantage the international competitiveness of Canadian mining companies, which may very well impede them in being able to proceed with these developments; or the bill will create a strong incentive for multinational mining companies to relocate outside of Canada, so it may not be a continuation of mining concerns with Canadian companies.
This is very, very concerning to many here in Canada, because the mining industry in this country is probably one of the most substantial worldwide.
The question earlier by one of the members was on China's activities. If the resources are there, and certainly they have been found and certainly they will be developed, can you envision that if the Canadian mining sector did have to pull back from it for a variety of very, very restricted reasons, from our own in-Canada bill, that shortfall could be picked up by the Chinese mining sector? Or who next in line would be very substantial in the area?
I might add, it's not a government bill; it has been put forward as a private member's bill. We are a minority government here, and quite regularly some of these initiatives do come forward by weight of the opposition parties here having greater numbers than we do.
I guess the lead question to that also would be the aid that Canada is contributing to the country. We do have a combination of economic considerations and limitations. Would that be a concern, if the Canadian mining sector had to bow out?