I agree with what Pierre is saying about the opportunity to get in early in the negotiations to help set some of the framework for the negotiation.
I think one of the challenges Canada finds itself in with the TPP is that we're getting into the agreement fairly late, and a lot of the rules and guidelines and set-up have already been established concerning what they're negotiating on. Canada is having a bit of a difficulty in moving things along the way they want. If we get in at an early stage and get to help set the agenda and the framework, I think it's helpful.
In terms of what countries should be involved, it's hard. The Prime Minister will be going to a meeting in the fall, as an official observer, it looks like, and there could be a slight possibility that we will be invited in at that point, but it's probably a longer way off than that, and trying to dictate who should be in and who shouldn't is pretty difficult for us at this time.
As to the market priorities for our members in both global trade relations and global supply chains, as I mentioned in my remarks, there is a huge and growing importance of Central and Latin America. That's really, in this agreement, looking at if we can expand it beyond the four...[Inaudible—Editor]...Central America. Even that in and of itself would be a huge step forward, for many of our members.
I think that should be the initial priority. Let the TPP take its course, because it will be a bit ahead of this. It will probably give us an opportunity to look at other countries across the Pacific Rim that are outside the TPP and that could perhaps be invited in at a later date.