Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you, Ambassador Ortega, for your presentation.
It is an important time to reflect on the 10 years of success, and to celebrate. I come from beautiful British Columbia, where we have some great wineries. We share some great vintages. Along with my colleague from Ontario, I know that we learn both agriculture and the vintner culture from each other. So we appreciate the education and success that the stability of the agreement has brought to industry.
I'd like to concentrate more on the fact that our committee is trying to find ways to enhance the global competitiveness of Canadian businesses and foster new free trade agreements. We haven't had a bilateral agreement in Canada since 2001, and I believe you have about 43 you've signed since....
I'm just trying to find out about your development strategy in some of your successes. What role does industry or the private sector play when you consider pursuing a free trade agreement, and what role do government and elected officials play in those negotiations?