International Trade Committee on May 6th, 2013

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Merrifield]

There's just a clarification on which motion.

[Ron Cannan, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

Is that the one we just got?

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Merrifield]

This is the April 22 motion, right?

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

It is from April 22, yes.

Again, this is to invite the Minister of International Trade to provide a comprehensive briefing on the outcome of the 16th round of negotiations of the Trans-Pacific Partnership which took place from March 4 to 13, 2013 in Singapore. The reason we'd like this passed, Mr. Chairman, is that the government has repeatedly stated it's involved in high stakes negotiations. We have CETA, TPP, Japan, and India.

I would point out that we haven't to date been able to close any of those agreements, but they are identified as very important major agreements, and yet we have not received briefings.

I tried to ask the minister some questions about his consultation process. He acknowledged that he does consult with provinces. He consults with stakeholders, industry stakeholders. I believe he should consult with this group, not only consult, but brief this group.

To date, we have not received a briefing on the TPP from the minister nor from the chief negotiator. It is important that committee members as representatives of Canadians from coast to coast have that input.

I would second what Mr. Easter said. He made an excellent point when he pointed out that this committee can be a source of value added. It seems incongruous to me that there is this consultation with all sorts of groups, except for the members of the Standing Committee on International Trade, particularly when we have regional representation. We have representation from a number of different perspectives. I think it would assist the government in getting a wide variety of perspectives. As well, I'll be blunt: I believe members of this committee have a right to know what is going on at those talks and to have a briefing periodically on how the issues are progressing.

I would urge all members of the committee to support this motion. Let's receive a briefing on the negotiations that just took place in March in Singapore.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Merrifield]

We have a motion on the floor.

Mr. Keddy.

[Gerald Keddy, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margaret's, NS]

Mr. Chairman, it's disappointing that while we have officials here to answer substantive questions and talk about issues facing trade and facing the country, we're going to discuss a motion. If you want to discuss the motion, let's go in camera and discuss the motion.

I move that we go in camera.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Merrifield]

We have a non-amendable, non-debatable motion to go in camera.

All in favour?

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

Can we have a recorded vote, Mr. Chair?

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Merrifield]

The motion is carried.

(Motion agreed to: yeas 6; nays 5)

[Proceedings continue in camera]