Good morning, and welcome.
I would like to talk to you about a report put out by the Montreal Economic Institution on Canada-U.S. relations. This study, which was done by Manning and Harris, applauds the efforts being made by Canada at the moment to strengthen its military and defence capabilities, among other things. There is reference to strengthening our ties with the United States in the area of free trade. In this regard, the authors recommend:
That Canada's federal government revisit the decision not to participate in the ballistic missile program and not to broaden the mandate of NORAD.
That Canada and the U.S. work together to create a more open and secure common border for the movement of people and goods.
The report also talks about eliminating the supply management system. It recommends:
Eliminating supply management and business subsidies; dropping ownership restrictions in transportation, telecommunications, and financial services; and allowing Canadian firms to become more productive and competitive in international markets.
I would like to know whether you both agree with the idea of Canada being involved in the ballistic missile defence system and with the recommendation about abolishing supply management in order to strengthen our ties to international markets. What are your views on these issues?