Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Good morning gentlemen and thank you for being here today.
To begin with, I must admit to you that there has been a time lag. This is unfortunate, particularly as I share virtually all of the concerns about which you have informed us. The fact remains that we are now studying Bill C-24, which is based on a signed agreement that almost has force of law. We are dealing here with statutes that would apply in Canada.
We at the Bloc Québécois had discussed many subjects, including the exchange rate. We had also discussed the tax treatment that could be applied if new amounts were received. The tax status can vary almost dramatically from one company to another. Some may be penalized indirectly, depending on the tax treatment applied. What you have been informing us of today should have been negotiated under the agreement. As it happens, the bill under review today implements the agreement. The process is therefore already underway.
Would you say that there was genuine consultation on the part of the government with a view to preparing and formulating this agreement? Given that the agreement has been signed and that what is at issue now is passing Bill C-24, it could be said that it is the end of the process.
At the beginning, the government told us repeatedly that 90 per cent of companies were in favour of this agreement. Were specialists like you able to contribute to the drawing up of this agreement?