Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
I understand how MPs would most certainly have questions about this transaction, but the Investment Canada Act is very strict. It has very strict confidentiality rules. She's actually asking the minister to come here to do something that legally he would not be able to do.
I have this available in English and French, if the members would like to see it, but I'd like to read into the record subsection 36(1) of the Investment Canada Act:
Subject to subsections (3) and (4), all information obtained with respect to a Canadian, a non-Canadian or a business by the Minister or an officer or employee of Her Majesty in the course of the administration or enforcement of this Act is privileged and no one shall knowingly communicate or allow to be communicated any such information or allow anyone to inspect or to have access to any such information.
Subsection 36(2):
Notwithstanding any other Act or law but subject to subsections (3) and (4), no minister of the Crown and no officer or employee of Her Majesty in right of Canada or a province shall be required, in connection with any legal proceedings, to give evidence relating to any information that is privileged under subsection (1) or to produce any statement or other writing containing such information.
If she would like, I'm sure the minister would be prepared to arrange a briefing to explain how the Investment Canada Act works so that she can understand how the process goes, but the minister can't answer the questions that are proposed here.