Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Good afternoon, witnesses, whether present here or participating via teleconference.
Mr. Silva said that he has noticed progress in Panama over the last few years. However, that's not the issue. We should look at who has benefited from that progress. We should look at whether a free-trade agreement would only further benefit a small minority of Panamanians.
Mr. Vaillancourt, you talked about taxation issues. I don't know if you heard or read the comments made by the final witness who was here last Monday. We had with us Panama's chief trade negotiator and deputy minister of trade and international negotiations, who told us on two occasions that it was not in his country's economic interest to conclude a tax information exchange agreement. That helped us understand why Canada's Minister of International Trade is being asked whether he intends to conclude a tax information exchange agreement, which would be a prerequisite to signing a free-trade agreement.
I would like to know what you have to say about this, Mr. Vaillancourt.