International Trade Committee on May 6th, 2013

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

I want to tell you very specifically that when I meet with my counterparts around the world, my Chinese counterparts included, I regularly raise the issue of human rights with them. I know for an absolute fact that the Prime Minister does too. Any suggestion that we don't is wrong.

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

No, I asked if you got any commitments.

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

I can tell you we believe that as time moves on, it is our engagement with these countries that will make the difference.

In terms of the Canada-China Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement, this agreement is really focused on providing Canadian investors with protection that Chinese investors already have when they invest in Canada.

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Well, they don't get national treatment.

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

Listen—

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

They don't get national treatment—

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

The reason for that, Mr. Davies, is that when Chinese companies invest in Canada, we don't discriminate against them. We treat them fairly. That is the Canadian way.

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

But we don't give them national treatment.

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

Canadian companies, as you know, have shared with us on a regular basis that when they invest in China, they don't feel treated in quite the same way. The whole purpose of this bilateral investment treaty is to actually provide Canadian companies with the same kind of investment protection—

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Yes, but my question was about human rights, not on an exhortation on FIPA.

I want to move quickly to—

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Merrifield]

No—

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

I have time. I can move to whatever I want to.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Merrifield]

No, you don't have any time. Your time is gone, and we'll now move to Mr. Holder.

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

How much time...? Could I see the clock, please?

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Merrifield]

You have six seconds.

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Well, I have time.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Merrifield]

No, you don't.

Mr. Holder.

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

You closed the consulate in Osaka—

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Merrifield]

Mr. Davies, I just said you don't have any more time.

Could you shut his microphone off, please.

Mr. Holder, for five minutes.

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Mr. Chair, your unfairness [Inaudible—Editor]

[An hon. member]

You were over a minute with the first time.

[Ed Holder, Conservative, London West, ON]

I'd like to thank our guests for being here today, particularly for you, Minister, to be here.

There have been a lot of questions—

Sorry, but can I get the side comments down, from all sides, please?

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Merrifield]

You have our undivided attention, Mr. Holder. Go ahead.

[Ed Holder, Conservative, London West, ON]

I appreciate it. Thank you.

One of the things that has come up regularly, Minister, has been the question about the free trade agreements that we've signed in Canada in the last several years. We've signed a number of them. There has been one member, and it's been implied by other members opposite, who certainly has said, I think relatively explicitly, that with the number of free trade agreements signed, it doesn't seem to have had a positive impact on Canada's economy. On the one hand I hear that, yet it was interesting to hear a colleague ask what you are doing about South Korea, because they really think that's important. It seems that they're sucking and blowing at the same time, and I'm not sure how well I could do that.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!