Good morning, everyone. It's a delight to see you here in July, the middle of the summer. We are here to do very important business, and I'm certainly looking forward to what we hear at this committee today.
The Standing Committee on International Trade is meeting, of course, to discuss the softwood lumber agreement, which was signed between the Government of Canada and the Government of the United States. It was initialled by the Minister of International Trade, David Emerson, and the United States Trade Representative, Susan Schwab, in Geneva on July 1, 2006.
Committees of the House of Commons, as you know, are empowered by Standing Order 108 to review and report to the House of Commons on “matters, relating to the mandate, management, organization or operation of the department, as the committee deems fit”. It is in this context that the committee wishes to look at the softwood lumber agreement today and in the days that have been allocated. The authority of this committee is circumscribed by the mandate given to it by the House of Commons. Should the committee wish, it can report its opinions and observations on the agreement to the House of Commons. Today and again on August 21, we will hear from witnesses and ask questions. Should it wish, after hearing evidence or representations, the committee may report its view to the House of Commons.
The initial agreement between the two governments is not directly before this committee for amendment, approval, or rejection. We are here to examine the actions of government and to report any opinions to the House of Commons.
The Minister of International Trade is here this morning, but before we get to the minister, we do have two items of business to deal with. One is a motion by Mr. Temelkovski to have Ambassador Michael Wilson come to committee.
I just want to say to Mr. Temelkovski and tell the committee that as soon as we received the information that there was a desire to have the Canadian ambassador to the United States, Michael Wilson, come to the committee, we started the process to get him here. So we will commit to get him here as soon as we can, hopefully for the twenty-first. Mr. Wilson, I know, will be a very willing witness. So we certainly look forward to that.
The other motion is by Helena Guergis, and that is dealing with getting to the committee.... Now, isn't this really embarrassing for me; I know who it is.
Ms. Guergis, I'll let you introduce the motion, but of course it's the former Canadian ambassador to the United States, Frank McKenna. Perhaps you could just present your motion and speak to it, and we'll deal with that motion right now.
I would remind the committee that the minister is here for two hours, and we would like to take as little as possible of the minister's time. I know we have a lot of questions for him.
Ms. Guergis, would you go ahead with your motion on having former Canadian ambassador Frank McKenna come to the committee.