International Trade Committee on Feb. 6th, 2007

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Good morning, everyone. We're here today to continue our study dealing with Canada's trade policy.

As special guests today, we have a delegation from the European Free Trade Association.

I'd like to start by welcoming you here and say that we're delighted that we could arrange for you to be here today. Thank you very much for allowing that to happen. We do appreciate it, and we're looking forward to the meeting with you very much.

I will invite the head of the delegation, Mr. Gudlaugur Thordarson, to introduce his delegates.

If you'd like to start with your own name, that might be helpful for the rest of us.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Could you please introduce the members of your delegation first, and then I'll continue with the meeting from there.

[Gudlaugur Thordarson, Chairman, Member of Parliament, Parliament of Iceland, European Free Trade Association]

Thank you, Mr. Chairman and committee members.

You said it was a difficult thing for you guys; I hope the rest of the meeting will be easier, because it's not a very international name. It's Gudlaugur Thordarson, and if some of you could say it, you would be the first foreigner to do so.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[Gudlaugur Thordarson]

You would like me to introduce my group to the committee before we start. I think it would be best if they do it themselves. I'll start with my Norwegian colleague.

[Svein Hansen, Member of Parliament, Parliament of Norway, European Free Trade Association]

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

My name is Svein Roald Hansen. I think it's a little easier than an Icelandic name. I represent the Labour Party in the Norwegian Parliament, and in Norway I represent Østfold County.

I just met Peter Julian, one of my colleagues here from Fredrikstad, my home town, so that was very nice.

[Laila Davoy, Member of Parliament, Parliament of Norway, European Free Trade Association]

My name is Laila Davoy. I am a parliamentarian in Norway too, and I represent the Christian Democratic Party. I come from the western part of Norway, the beautiful town of Bergen.

[Mario Fehr, Member of Parliament, Parliament of Switzerland, European Free Trade Association]

My name is Mario Fehr. I'm an MP from Switzerland, coming from the German-speaking part of Switzerland, the area of Thüringen. I'm a Social Democrat.

[Henrik Caduff, Member of Parliament, Parliament of Liechtenstein, European Free Trade Association]

My name is Henrik Caduff. I'm an MP in Liechtenstein. As Liechtenstein is quite small, it doesn't matter whether you come from, north or south.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[Franz Heeb, Member of Parliament, Parliament of Liechtenstein, European Free Trade Association]

My name is Franz Heeb. I'm a member of the Liechtenstein Parliament, and I'm from the north side of Liechtenstein.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[Jón Gunnarsson, Member of Parliament, Althingi, Icelandic Parliament, European Free Trade Association]

My name is Jón Gunnarsson. I'm a parliamentarian from Iceland, and I represent the Social Democratic Alliance.

[Eugen David, Member of Parliament, Parliament of Switzerland, European Free Trade Association]

My name is Eugen David. I come from the eastern part of Switzerland. I'm a member of the Christian Democratic Party and a member of the senate in the Swiss Parliament.

[Hans Ulrich Mathys, Member of Parliament, Parliament of Switzerland, European Free Trade Association]

My name is Hans Ulrich Mathys. I'm a member of the Swiss Parliament and a member of the Swiss People's Party.

[René Vaudroz, Member of Parliament, Parliament of Switzerland, European Free Trade Association]

My name is René Vaudroz, and I am a member of the National Council of Switzerland. I am from the French-speaking area of our country and I live near Geneva. I am a member of the radical democratic party.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

Thank you all. Welcome today.

I know there are other members of your delegation not seated at the table. Welcome to all of you, and we will chat with you at the short break afterwards, if you would like to take some time to do that.

Now, this is not the norm, but I would like each member of our committee to introduce themselves.

I'll just explain a bit that we have members of all four parties in the House represented on this committee. There is the government side--and in this case, a government chair--the official opposition, and then the other two opposition parties.

Could you please each introduce yourselves. Don't talk about how beautiful your constituency is, because we know that they're all the most beautiful in the country. Just say your name, position, and where you're from, please.

[Pierre Lemieux, Conservative, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

Good afternoon. I'm Pierre Lemieux. I'm the MP for a riding right beside Ottawa.

[Dean Allison, Conservative, Niagara West—Glanbrook, ON]

Hi. My name is Dean Allison, and I'm the MP for the riding of Niagara West—Glanbrook. I also chair the human resources committee.

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

Welcome. My name is Ron Cannan. I'm the member of Parliament for Kelowna—Lake Country on the west coast of...I was going to say beautiful British Columbia.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[Ted Menzies, Conservative, Macleod, AB]

My name is Ted Menzies, and we've already met; I've met this entire delegation. It's wonderful to have you here, and I'm looking forward to this discussion.

[The Chair, Conservative, Leon Benoit]

I'm Leon Benoit, chair of the committee and a member of Parliament from Alberta.

[Dominic LeBlanc, Liberal, Beauséjour, NB]

My name is Dominic LeBlanc, and I am a Liberal member--

from the province of New Brunswick on the east coast of Canada.