Thanks, Mr. Chair.
I have two questions to start with.
Liam, you indicated that you don't think we can ever give up on the WTO, and I would agree. But while we're going through all these belaboured discussions, which seem to go on forever, do you not think it's time we also start to be more aggressive in terms of bilateral discussions? We are losing markets to the U.S. Because we are putting so much emphasis on the WTO, we're losing ground by way of the bilaterals. That's question number one.
This is question number two. With support from the industry, except for the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance, Liam, we've had a balanced position for a number of years: increasing market access, eliminating export subsidies, and reducing domestic support, while at the same time supporting supply management and state trading enterprises.
I know that you and I disagree on this, and you can tell me if I'm wrong, but I believe that CAFTA's position led the western premiers to the news release they put out last week, which was basically going after the federal government, for what they called an “intransigent stance” that could lead to the failure at the end of 2006. I seriously think that the position the western premiers took puts Canada in a much weaker negotiating position at the WTO, because it makes us look divided when we had to be united. The country was massively united behind the balanced position, and now I think we look weaker at the WTO.
The fact of the matter is we haven't been intransigent on supply management. We have gone to a sensitive products category, we've opened up other areas, and we're willing to remain firm on the other three principles.
So I'd like whoever can give me a comment to answer: what's the impact of the premiers' statement, and where should the government go from here? And come back to the first question as well.