Thank you.
As you put, sir, a little better than I've been able, there are some clear benefits to Canada from obtaining observer status. I'll set out three of them right now: one, it deepens our relationship with Pacific Alliance members, which is already good; two, it leverages our engagement with the Pacific Alliance to develop new links in the Asia–Pacific region; and three—and this is the one where we don't know where it will take us—it allows us to get in on the ground floor and participate in the alliance's meetings and discussions, including bilaterally, thereby allowing us to assess mutually beneficial opportunities for closer cooperation with a group of like-minded, open economies.
Where that latter analysis will take us is not yet clear, because it's not clear inside the Pacific Alliance yet. I think what is clear is that Pacific Alliance members individually and jointly as an alliance are very important partners to us, both on the economic front and the broader foreign policy front.
Our observer status can't do anything but help us enhance those relationships that have already proven to be important to us.
Thank you.