International Trade Committee on Nov. 1st, 2010

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

It just happened that one was ahead of two. It's no big deal.

[Gerald Keddy, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margaret's, NS]

I didn't say it was. I'm asking what the criteria were and what the difference in cost was.

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

The difference in the cost is really irrelevant in terms of the numbers. The only difference in cost is from splitting the group, and that means adding another translator, so it's about an additional $5,000. It will go either way, whichever group goes.

Anyway, we don't have time to get into a long talk about this. We'll talk about it Wednesday.

Moving on, following the order of reference, we have Bill C-8, An Act to implement the Free Trade Agreement between Canada and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Agreement on the Environment between Canada and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the Agreement on Labour Cooperation between Canada and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

We're going to proceed pretty much as Mr. Julian suggested, with clause-by-clause consideration. So we'll proceed in the normal fashion. Rather than voting each time, I think we can collectively just go on division, if that's agreeable to everyone else, as per Mr. Julian's suggestion. I'm getting nods around the table.

So let's proceed with clause-by-clause consideration.

Pursuant to Standing Order 75(1), consideration of clause 1 is postponed.

I think everybody is very familiar with the bill by now, so I'm just going to go through this rather quickly.

(Clauses 2 to 6 inclusive agreed to on division)

(On clause 7--Purpose)

Now we'll go to clause 7, and we'll pause here and deal with Mr. Julian's amendment.

Mr. Julian.

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

Very simply, Mr. Chair, under “Purpose”, where it says, “protect, enhance and enforce basic workers' rights”, this would add “including the right to collective bargaining”. So it would strengthen the purpose, in that clause of the agreement.

As you recall, Mr. Chair, a lot of witnesses talked about the labour rights component, including the fact that temporary foreign workers do not have full collective bargaining rights. That's why I'm offering this amendment.

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

Thank you.

I think it's pretty clear. Does everyone have the amendments? Have you had an opportunity to look at them?

Mr. Julian's proposal would be to amend clause 7 by simply inserting, “the right to collective bargaining” in the labour agreement.

Is there further discussion?

(Amendment negatived)

(Clauses 7 to 9 inclusive agreed to on division)

(On clause 10--Canadian representative on Joint Commission)

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

Moving to clause 10, we have another proposed amendment, this time from Mr. Julian.

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

This provides that with regard to the joint commission, “the Minister shall consult on a regular basis with representatives of Canadian trade unions”.

Again, as I mentioned, Mr. Chair, concerns about labour rights, and the conditions particularly under which temporary foreign workers live in Jordan, have been raised. This would ensure consultation with the Canadian labour movement. That's why I offer this amendment, hopefully to unanimous support.

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

No doubt.

Is there any further discussion on the amendment?

(Amendment negatived)

(Clauses 10 and 11 agreed to on division)

(On clause 12--Powers of Minister)

We have another amendment here. This one is from Mr. Julian.

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

I'll read this one out, Mr. Chair.

It would add a new component. It reads:

(1.1) The Minister shall

(a) consult with independent experts on human rights and independent human rights organizations in order to assess the impact of the implementation of the Agreement on human rights in Canada and in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan; and

(b) within 60 days after this Act comes into force, cause to be laid before each House of Parliament a report on that assessment that includes the findings and recommendations of those experts and organizations or, if that House is not then sitting, on any of the first five days next thereafter that that House is sitting.

Mr. Chair, for this clause, this is an independent human rights assessment that takes place in conjunction with the putting into place of the act. As you'll recall, Mr. Chair, we've had previous testimony from human rights organizations across the country. They all support the idea of independent human rights assessments for these free trade agreements. So I think I'm speaking with the weight of the human rights community in Canada in saying that this is the kind of thing they would certainly want to see in the agreement.

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

Do I take it that they would be the ones that they wish consulted?

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

Mr. Chair, we're talking about independent human rights experts and organizations.

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

That's a wonderful clarification.

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

That's a very important question, but the ones who have come before committee haven't been suggesting themselves. The previous clerk would be aware of this from a previous trade agreement that shall remain nameless. There was a wide variety of very specific recommendations about how that human rights assessment could occur.

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

Thank you.

Are there comments or further discussion on the third amendment?

(Amendment negatived)

(Clause 12 agreed to on division)

(Clauses 13 to 41 inclusive agreed to on division)

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

Okay. We have one more, a new clause, which would be clause 41.1, as proposed in amendment NDP-4.

Mr. Julian, would you like to discuss that for a moment?

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

This would make the agreement renewable and would trigger a three-hour debate in Parliament once a year, so that we could evaluate the impacts on our own exports but also on labour and human rights. The renewable aspect of the agreement is something that has also been suggested by many of the witnesses we've had—not on this agreement but on previous agreements—to ensure that Canada's trade policy is really in conjunction with Canadian values and is doing what it sets out to do when these agreements are brought to committee.

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

Thank you.

It is moved by Mr. Julian that:

The provisions of this Act cease to apply one year after this Act comes into force unless, before the expiration of that period, their application is extended by a resolution passed by both Houses of Parliament.

Is there any further discussion?

(Amendment negatived)

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

Can I have a count on that, Mr. Chair?

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

I think it might be easiest to say unanimous less one.

(Clauses 42 and 43 agreed to on division)

Now we'll go to the schedule. I think everyone is very familiar with the schedule, right down to the tariffs.

(Schedule agreed to on division)

Shall the short title carry?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[An hon. member]

On division.

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

Shall the title carry?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[An hon. member]

On division.

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

Shall the bill carry?