Evidence of meeting #66 for International Trade in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was indian.
A recording is available from Parliament.
As an Individual
I don't know how we can protect that. That is the government's part. The Canadian government has to work on it and how it can be protected.
I myself am an investor, I'm going to invest my money there, or my ancestor property's there, I'm going to invest that, which I did in the past. I sold some of my property and invested there and I did excellent.
I'm going to go off track from your question.
As an Individual
Of course, I'm a Canadian citizen, but I was born in India. I do have ancestral property. Many Indians have lots of property there. They don't want to go back and settle themselves. They don't want to go back and invest money there. If their properties have been held by some bureaucrats, some politicians, or some gangsters, and if somehow the government can get that property out that can be sold, the people will sell their ancestral property and bring that money to Canada to boost our economy. It won't come in millions. It will come in billions and billions.
Honestly, if I'm not protected in India, I'd love to sell my properties and bring all my money back here where I can sleep peacefully at night and get up in the morning to do my business over the phone. I'm sorry but that is our government and we can tell you where the problems are and how to prevent that.
Liberal
Wayne Easter Liberal Malpeque, PE
I appreciate your answer.
If we're going to be negotiating with India, then we go into the negotiation with our eyes wide open. There's no sense saying that laws are all abided by and everything is going hunky-dory when it isn't. We need to go in with our eyes wide open. You are raising some very valid points that the Government of Canada has to look at seriously. How do we implement an agreement where it's one thing to have a law and it's another to have a law that nobody enforces? That's the critical point.
Mr. Dhesi, do you have anything to add?
President, Pacific Exotic Food Inc.
It's very hard for common people like us, as businessmen, to know how to solve these things. Consideration should be given. There are so many levels of government. If there's any dispute, it starts with the FIR and a report there. It keeps going. At every step, if you don't know the bureaucracy and the local people, your file will not move to this day. These sorts of points have to be brought to the government before signing an agreement. That's my personal view.
The government can do whatever it wants. Consideration should be given on how to save Canadian investments. I have to renegotiate some policies with the government from level to level. Some fast-track system has to be developed instead of going to 15 different departments. An answer may be given in one department and the other says no. Then it comes back down again. There should be one window where a foreign investor can go and solve these problems. That's my personal suggestion.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield
That's actually what the government is trying to do with the FIPA and we're doing this with many countries. It's a third-party arbitrated settlement on disputes.
Mr. Shory, you have seven minutes.
Conservative
Devinder Shory Conservative Calgary Northeast, AB
Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you witnesses. You have touched so many points and raised so many issues that I don't have enough time, but I'll share some of the information that I have.
For example, Mr. Ghuman, you talked about that which is a very serious issue: you talked about corruption in the High Commission in Chandigarh. I'll tell you about my experience. I have heard it lots of times, but with no substance or evidence. I represent the riding in which 80% of the people from the state of Punjab live, and 90% of my casework is immigration. We deal with Chandigarh. I hear all these stories. Unfortunately, to date I have not found any evidence. Definitely, not everyone gets a visa, and improvement is required, there's no doubt about it. But corruption is honestly a serious matter.
Let me also respond to what my colleague Mr. Wayne Easter said, that we signed the agreement for the sake of signing. Let me assure you of this: this government has not signed and will not sign any trade agreement that is not for the net benefit of Canada, just so you know.
Conservative
Devinder Shory Conservative Calgary Northeast, AB
You also talked about allowing the buying of agriculture land. In Canada, we do not allow any foreign individual to buy agricultural land in chunks.
Then you also talked about delegations to India, saying particularly that we should meet the business people. I want to share this also, that during my four and a half years, we have had more than 30 ministerial visits, and they do not meet all other delegations. We were there last year, and not only in Delhi. We were in Kerala, we were in.... I have been to Gujarat five times. I attend every Vibrant Gujarat. We meet the business people separately also.
Conservative
Devinder Shory Conservative Calgary Northeast, AB
I'll ask the question.
When we talk about business and business-to-business people, first, are the people within this community in India excited that an FTA should be signed between Canada and India?
Second, because you both have businesses in India and Canada, have you ever used trade commission services? If you have, were they helpful in connecting you with the right people?
Conservative
As an Individual
Mr. Shory, you've been to India so many times in the last four or four and a half years. Who made the arrangements for the meetings when the delegates went there?
Conservative
Conservative
Devinder Shory Conservative Calgary Northeast, AB
No, it's not the Indian side. It's basically our high commission that organizes all these meetings.
By the way, let me add that I'm not saying your comments have no validity. I myself, with our trade commission offices, presided over one meeting, which was held in Ludhiana. It was attended by all CEOs. There was talk about the money, talk about Oswal, talk about Hero Group industries. This was in 2009.
It's not that India doesn't have issues; India has huge issues. I understand that.
As an Individual
You already answered me. You met only the top-notch people—whoever the high commissioner wants to meet.
I think it should be open to the public, to businessmen. In that way, you can approach the people who are.... Vardham and these other people don't need to invest money in Canada. The people who can invest millions are ready, not the people who can invest billions. They will not come here; they will not leave the luxury life they're living there to come here. But people who are high-middle-class investors can come and invest millions and millions here.
The meetings should have been set up by.... Our government should tell the high commissioner to put in the newspaper that whoever qualifies, whoever is genuine should be allowed, or everybody should be allowed, to meet the delegates, not only Vardham or Hero Honda or these other people.
President, Pacific Exotic Food Inc.
Mr. Shory, I have written in my report that all the corporations have their set of offices—across the world, not only in Canada. They don't need to come in on these agreements. Whether this government is going to sign or not, their presence is already in Canada and the U.S.A.
I have experience going back to India since 1996, being a general secretary of the Canada-India Business Council. I met the delegation.
By the way, my name is known as a virtual trade commissioner all across the world by the Government of Canada; I meet with the trade commissioners—all of these things. Our point is to say in front of the chair that big corporations have their roots in every part of the world; there, the economy starts from small and medium-sized businesses. Those people should be involved. High CEOs are going to come to every function with every party that they invite there, as they did while I was there, too.