Evidence of meeting #79 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 tpp.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:20 p.m.
Conservative
Ed Holder Conservative London West, ON
That's good to know.
Mr. Everson, how do you feel about it all?
4:20 p.m.
Vice-President, Government Relations, Canola Council of Canada
The canola industry is doing very well. What the canola industry is doing is it's creating jobs and economic development all across Canada. It's growing. As I say, we doubled production in the last 10 years, and as a result of that, the crushing industry is spending $1.6 billion on new processing facilities, which create jobs and economic development in rural Canada.
The seed developers, who create the innovation that goes to Canadian farmers, are spending roughly $100 million in private seed development here in Canada to make the farmer more competitive.
It's a dynamic industry. If you can help us create a trade environment that is predictable and based on science so that we can export these innovative products, that growth will continue.
4:20 p.m.
Conservative
4:20 p.m.
Vice-President, Government Relations, Canola Council of Canada
I think international trade development helps, for sure. The government—
4:20 p.m.
General Manager, Canadian Canola Growers Association
Yes. I mean, we're going in the right direction.
4:20 p.m.
Conservative
Ed Holder Conservative London West, ON
In the spirit of debunking hoggle-swap, what I have to say here is this. Every time we've had someone at this end of the table talk to us about their issues relating to their growth opportunities—in forest products, wheat, lentils, mining, and I could go on—I can tell you that we get all the great responses that you've just given us. Yet I hear members opposite...perhaps one in particular who comes back and says, you know, our trade deals aren't working.
Some people forget, gentlemen, that we've been through a large international recession, and Canada has done phenomenally well. In fact, I need to quote and put on the record, because I get so frustrated, about the four countries that we've cited that we're dealing with. With Mexico, we have a merchandise trade growth since 2009 of some $600 million going up to 2012; on service trade, another $14 million. With Peru, a small country, we've had $20 million in merchandise trade growth. With the United States, just for fun, in the first 15 years of the free trade agreement—when folks like the members opposite say that our trade deal isn't working—in terms of our exports, not our two-way trade, Canada experienced some $254 billion in growth.
I have to tell you that this does not happen by accident. It happens because of your entrepreneurialism and because we set the terms of reference so that you can grow and you can prosper within your dynamics.
I have a question for you about transparency. Here's the issue I have about transparency. I have friends opposite who have both claimed that it's too secret. That was their lead comment. Here's my question for you. My personal view is that politics are done in public but negotiations are done in secret.
Have you ever had a deal that you've had to do and you didn't want to tell anybody, in your dealings, so you kept it kind of quiet—either of you?
Sorry: you can't just nod. They can't....
4:20 p.m.
General Manager, Canadian Canola Growers Association
No, I wasn't sure if you were done. Sorry.
4:20 p.m.
General Manager, Canadian Canola Growers Association
Okay.
Yes, there is a role for confidentiality in strategic negotiation. Personally, yes; I mean, I don't—
4:20 p.m.
Conservative
4:20 p.m.
Vice-President, Government Relations, Canola Council of Canada
Yes, and maybe I could comment, too, on your position on the overall economic agenda or trade agenda.
As I was saying, we really support the agenda that includes trade negotiations with some of the major economies. We're talking about TPP or negotiations with the European Union and India. These are major economies that have impact in the world. I think we do need to ensure that we finish them off and that we get them signed. They're complex. They take a long time. We certainly support the negotiations, but it's important to take time and get good deals and to be able to finish them.
4:20 p.m.
Conservative
Ed Holder Conservative London West, ON
Well, I know you'd never want to challenge a member opposite when in fact within the next 100 years they may form a government again. But my question of you, when I think of the statement that I heard twice from one of our colleagues who said that we're not doing a good job in terms of our trade agreement, is this. Are we doing a good job, in your opinion?
4:20 p.m.
Vice-President, Government Relations, Canola Council of Canada
I think our negotiators are top-flight. I think the countries that—
4:20 p.m.
An hon. member
Hear, hear.
4:20 p.m.
Vice-President, Government Relations, Canola Council of Canada
As I say, we are negotiating with larger economies that have an impact; certainly from the canola industry, with Europe and Japan. If we can deal with some of these non-tariff trade barriers with all of our export markets, those are important opportunities for the canola industry.
4:20 p.m.
General Manager, Canadian Canola Growers Association
Well, yes; I think there's always room for improvement, but—
4:20 p.m.
General Manager, Canadian Canola Growers Association
Well, in terms of closing off some deals so we get them done, and—
4:20 p.m.
Conservative
4:20 p.m.
General Manager, Canadian Canola Growers Association
We need to finish them off. We have a lot on the go. We just need to get some sewed up and we're good.
4:20 p.m.
Conservative
Ed Holder Conservative London West, ON
Before I get finished off by the chair here, I want to make the point that if the weakness in our approach is that we haven't done enough deals, I'd like members opposite and members around this table to understand that this is exactly what we're trying to do.
That deal with Japan, I'm confident we'll do. I've heard that from you, and I certainly agree with the member opposite that this, in fact, is one of those initiatives that we have to take forward, because you can't just necessarily rely on what TPP means.
Are you going to run out of canola with all these trade deals we're signing? I'm worried. Should I be worried?
4:25 p.m.
General Manager, Canadian Canola Growers Association
Well, we actually.... There's more demand than there is supply right at the present time.