International Trade Committee on March 5th, 2009

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

Mr. Holder.

[Ed Holder, Conservative, London West, ON]

I would like to add my thanks to all of you for the honour of having you here today to speak with us.

I was encouraged by some of your words, that the EU wants to have a much stronger economic relationship with Canada. You also indicated that Europe is not in a protectionist mood. I think that's very important.

We also know, though, that certainly globally, with the economic conditions that have occurred, there are serious economic challenges around the world. Europe and Canada are not excluded from that, with very limited GDP growth in Europe, Canada, and around the world.

I'd like to know your sense of optimism from the EU's perspective on our ability to successfully negotiate a Canada-EU free trade agreement.

[Ignasi Guardans Cambó]

Again, whether I'm optimistic or not, I think the commission is the one sitting at the negotiating table. They are able to give a better view. Politically, the commitment is there. I cannot see any political obstacles whatsoever in this.

It is true, and sometimes it's difficult to explain, that we need to balance the political commitment to having this agreement approved with having every single technicality approved in areas that might be delicate, such as procurement, for example. It is not enough to say that we want it, that we are great friends, and that we want to work together if we are not able to reach an agreement in very specific and detailed areas, which can be more delicate.

I know that a concern for us, for the EU--I know that it's being managed, and we've been informed of the details of how it is being managed--is the duality of legitimate power within Canada, if we can put it this way, in constitutional terms. Whatever is committed and negotiated needs to apply to the whole of Canada, independent of the internal political distribution you might have. Otherwise, it would be difficult, and that's exactly what you will have on the other side.

As I was saying, whatever is negotiated with the European Union, you will not have the Czech Republic saying that it doesn't apply there. If it is negotiating, you have the Czech Republic, you have the Spanish regional government of Catalonia, and you have whoever will be involved once the commission signs and makes a deal. That's our way.

You have your own way. You have your own constitution, and of course nobody wants to interfere with that from the outside. However, we need to find a way so that whatever is negotiated applies to Canada, to whomever can talk on behalf of Canada, and to whomever is on the other side of the Canadian border. You know very much what I'm talking about. Those sorts of things need to be negotiated. If this is all properly solved, I think we can be very optimistic.

[Ed Holder, Conservative, London West, ON]

You put that very delicately, and I appreciate that.

You talked about procurement. Could you imagine in the European Union any particular sector in which some members of the EU would find it very difficult to negotiate with Canada?

[Ignasi Guardans Cambó]

You just need to look into the statistics to see with which member states Canada trades more, with which member states Canada trades less, and with which member states has Canada had some problems in the past that could relate to a country. As we say in European terms, know the country. That could be the case, but that won't make a difference. Once it has been negotiated, it's done. That's the whole issue of clarifying the mandate of the commission. Afterwards there cannot be any country from northern or southern Europe saying they don't much like what was negotiated on fisheries or other areas. It's part of the deal.

[Ed Holder, Conservative, London West, ON]

Thank you.

Thank you, Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

Thank you.

I think that's been very helpful. We're delighted with the questions and with the responses we have received.

We've now concluded this session.

I would like to invite our guests, as well as committee members, to join me in the parliamentary restaurant for an informal lunch. The room is available now. I think it's 602, upstairs on the sixth floor. We're serving some Ontario wines before some Alberta beef for lunch. I think there is some wine from B.C., as well. I think Mr. Cannan saw to that. Most important, of course, is the Alberta beef. And then there is a dessert from Quebec, I think, some sugar pie or something.

In any event, I'll give you a few minutes to make your way there. You can be escorted by our clerk.

Members, at your leisure, we are going to begin the reception right now. At your leisure, please attend. Lunch will be served at 12:30 precisely.

Thank you again.

This meeting is adjourned.