International Trade Committee on Oct. 19th, 2006

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Good morning, everyone.

I'd like to start by thanking all of the participants in this round table for being here this morning. We really do appreciate it very much. We know that you all are very busy. I do think that the time spent here today, though, knowing what your backgrounds are, will be time well spent. I know it will be for us. I really do appreciate your coming.

I'll explain a little bit about what's happening here this morning. This morning is actually the 31st meeting of the trade committee in this Parliament. Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), we are holding a round table with participants to discuss in a very general fashion Canada's trade policy. Each of the participants has received a series of questions, and each of the MPs has a copy of those questions in front of them. We'll have a very informal meeting today. I'll recognize people as I see them indicate that they'd like to speak, and that includes the invited participants. If you have a question of another participant or of anybody--we really don't want the MPs to become the key witnesses here, as that could be really scary--certainly feel free to ask that question.

We had departmental officials in earlier in the week discussing what Canada's trade policy is. Of course, departmental officials can't really talk much about what they think Canada's trade policy should be because they're dealing with the mandate and the position they've worked towards and have been given. But you're not bound by restrictions, so the main overarching question is, what should Canada's trade policy look like. That's what we're here to discuss today.

After the meeting we'll have an hour for lunch on an informal basis, and it will be a chance for MPs to interact with each of you, the invited participants.

There will be no order of questions today, as I've said. I'll just take them as I see members of Parliament or others indicate they'd like to ask a question or make a comment.

We'll just go ahead. I'll start with the first question.

We did agree to this at the last meeting, but apparently because of the money that will be spent on the lunch we need a motion to agree to pay for the lunch after.

Are MPs agreed? Somebody should make a motion, actually.

[Ted Menzies, Conservative, Macleod, AB]

I'll make the motion.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Ted Menzies so moves. Agreed?

[Ted Menzies, Conservative, Macleod, AB]

That Leon pays for lunch.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Agreed? That Ted Menzies pay for...? No. Ted, we got in trouble at the last meeting with this joking back and forth. It didn't come across quite right.

[Ted Menzies, Conservative, Macleod, AB]

Yes, I know. No more joking.

(Motion agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

At 10:45 we do have a couple of things for the committee to deal with for about fifteen minutes. One is a very brief discussion on Bill C-24, the softwood lumber bill, and how that will start on next Tuesday. I don't think there's a lot to discuss on that, but Peter Julian also has two motions before the committee. One was passed at the last committee meeting, but it was passed in a form that we discovered really didn't allow the clerk to prepare the report, so we need a little bit of discussion to deal with that.

Mr. Julian, if you want to deal with the second motion at today's meeting.... If we could put it off to the next meeting, that would be very helpful, but that's up to you.

Let's go ahead then. If we can start with each participant giving a little bit about their background, and then very briefly, not in an opening statement, talk about what Canada's trade policy should look like, in a very general fashion....

Because of the way we're set up here, we'll go around the table very quickly, having each person at the table introduce themselves, not with a long speech, but when it comes to the members of Parliament, just give your name and riding.

I'm Leon Benoit. My riding is Vegreville--Wainwright in Alberta. Let's just go around the table this way.

Mr. Menzies.

[Ted Menzies, Conservative, Macleod, AB]

You expect a politician to be that brief?

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

You're out of order. It's name and riding, Mr. Menzies.

[Ted Menzies, Conservative, Macleod, AB]

My name is Ted Menzies. I represent the riding of Macleod in southern Alberta.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Go ahead, Mr. Myers.

[Dr. Jayson Myers, Senior Vice-President and Chief Economist, Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters]

I'm Jay Myers, senior vice-president and chief economist with Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters.

[Serge Cardin, Bloc, Sherbrooke, QC]

Good morning, gentlemen. My name is Serge Cardin and I am the member for Sherbrooke, Quebec. You may have heard of the riding of Sherbrooke since it's also the riding of Premier Jean Charest at the provincial level. In that sense, we are political opponents.

I come from of the accounting profession. I have worked for business persons and I have met importers and exporters, people dealing with various federal departments and organizations such as Export and Development Canada. We will have the opportunity to talk about that later on.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

That was a reminder to individuals who are not used to being here that you may need translation. Maybe you don't. If you do, English is on channel one, French on channel two, and the language being spoken, because the acoustics aren't always the best, is on channel three.

Go ahead, Monsieur André.

[Guy André, Bloc, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

My name is Guy André and I've been the member for Berthier—Maskinongé since 2004.

That's all.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Thank you.

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

I'm Peter Julian. I'm the NDP trade critic and the MP for Burnaby—New Westminster, in beautiful British Columbia.

[Ron Cannan, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

Good morning, Mr. Chair and guests.

I'm Ron Cannan. I represent the riding of Kelowna—Lake Country in the southern interior of British Columbia. We manufacture some great wine and apples.

I know Sherbrooke is a great hockey community. I've used many Sherbrooke hockey sticks.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

I think when anybody goes beyond name and riding it's a paid ad beyond that point. The money will be paid directly to me after, and it'll be based on a per second charge.

Mr. Maloney.

[John Maloney, Liberal, Welland, ON]

I'm John Maloney, a member of Parliament from the riding of Welland in the region of Niagara, Ontario.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Thank you.

Mr. Hodgson.

[Glen Hodgson, Vice-President and Chief Economist, Conference Board of Canada]

Good morning. I'm Glen Hodgson. I'm vice-president and chief economist at the Conference Board of Canada. I have a checkered career, having served at the federal Department of Finance, Export Development Canada, and also at the International Monetary Fund.

This is one of my favourite topics, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Great.

Mr. Murphy.

[Michael Murphy, Executive Vice-President, Policy, Canadian Chamber of Commerce]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

My name is Mike Murphy. I am executive vice-president responsible for policy at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Thank you.

Mr. Temelkovski.