I will do my very best, Mr. Chair. Thank you.
I'd like to thank our guests for being here today. I apologize for having come in a little later due to a prior commitment. I didn't hear the testimony in advance, so I will ask some broader--but I hope pointed--questions.
I'm very compelled by some of the testimony I've heard.
Mr. Grenier, you've said a couple of times here that we're dealing with a most protectionist country. I heard Madam George say the same thing in terms of the challenges of dealing with a major player like the United States. I'd be hard pressed to suggest that they aren't very, very tough negotiators. Certainly, we'll negotiate as we all negotiate, which is in our own country's interests, so I get that.
It confused me, though, when I heard a couple of times that we should have waited for a better opportunity and that there's nothing left in our arsenal. To me, I think the whole spirit of negotiation and what this process has allowed itself to do have given us the tools for future negotiations as well, and certainly, even as this procurement arrangement becomes retired, we'll have the opportunity with the foundations laid in place. In fact, I would argue respectfully that it puts us in a better position to be able to negotiate on behalf of Canada's interests going forward. I want to make that as a statement. I think that what we've effectively done is set a precedent by putting this in place.
I would never want to challenge my good friend Mr. Brison, particularly, but I would say that one of the things I think this deal does is commit Canada and the United States to engage in expedited consultations on any matter related to government procurement. So even that reference to fast track I think is legitimate, to the extent that what it does is allow Canada and the United States to become involved immediately in terms of dealing with Buy American provisions as they would happen going forward.
Madam George, I have a question for you, if I may. It's always interesting when we have our guests and we get the different perspectives. I think that's healthy. But you're very clear that this is in the strong interests of your members. Why do you feel so adamantly, so strongly? Why is this procurement agreement so critical?