Then you referred to a tax agreement or a tax information exchange agreement that would be signed between Canada and Panama as part of this free trade agreement. However, we questioned the minister about this and he said that he had written to his counterpart in Panama. The officials who appeared before this committee said they had received no reply.
Thus far, Panamanians and Canadians have perceived international trade in very different ways. In Canada, we want to agree on a tax information exchange agreement, and in Panama they're talking about a dual taxation system that would reduce the revenues of the Canada Revenue Agency to zero in certain situations. We're not yet at that stage.
Is this really an important question for the Canadian Association of Importers and Exporters? Are you still going to reach an agreement, even if there is no tax information exchange agreement? Ultimately, if the Canada Revenue Agency loses revenue, all Canadian citizens will have to pay for that, rather than the people who are exempted.
Is your support unconditional?