Thank you very much, Chair.
I've heard today that drugs are a major problem, that moneys from drugs are moving throughout the economy, and that narco-trafficking continues to be a serious problem. I thought they might be talking about a major city in Canada, or, frankly, any city in Canada. I don't think any country or any city in this world is immune from that. I don't think that precludes us from carrying on with a free trade agreement, because there are issues throughout the world, and I think to the extent that we get hold of this issue, that's to the betterment of Canadian citizens and citizens throughout the world.
I have a question for you, Mr. MacKay. It's one that's troubled me for some time. What I've heard piped through a variety of discussions from members opposite has been that somehow free trade agreements have diminished our balance of trade around the world; that is to say, when we've put in free trade agreements, a result of those free trade agreements—isn't it interesting?—has been that somehow Canada's balance of trade has gone down. I'd like to ask you for your professional opinion, because I'd like to settle this finally, and if I'm wrong, I'm wrong. In your professional opinion, is Canada's balance of trade negatively impacted as a result of free trade agreements they put in place?