International Trade Committee on Nov. 7th, 2013

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Merrifield]

Go ahead.

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Canada has agreed to acknowledge EU requests regarding 179 geographical indicators. How many did Canada get in return?

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

First of all, let me talk about geographical indications before I turn it—

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

I just want to know a number, Mr. Chairman. It should be transparent—

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

You'll get that.

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

—a direct answer so we can evaluate the deal. How many did we get?

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

Mr. Davies, we knew this was of great interest, certainly symbolic interest, to the EU. This is very, very important to them.

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

It's important to Canada, too.

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

We brought enough flexibility to the table to be able to secure an outcome in other areas of the negotiations that are very beneficial to Canada.

Yes, you're correct; there are 179 geographical indications which, for clarification, are essentially regional trademarks that the EU wanted Canada to recognize.

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Mr. Minister, I know what they are. I'm just asking how many Canada got. It's a simple question.

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

We have ensured that those trademarks do not in any way impact our current producers because they have been grandfathered.

Now I'm going to turn it over to Mr. Verheul—

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

We have Mr. Verheul for the next hour, so—

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

—to be more specific as you've asked us to be.

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

—we'll come back to Mr. Verheul in the next hour.

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

I'm going to have Mr. Verheul answer.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Merrifield]

Mr. Davies—

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

We have him for two hours—

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Merrifield]

—you asked a question. I'm going to let the witness answer.

Mr. Verheul, go ahead.

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

I would be delighted if there's an answer.

[Steve Verheul]

Well, thank you.

This was very much an EU ask. It comes out of the EU domestic considerations that they have. GIs are very important in their market. They're not in ours. We don't use them; we use trademarks, so we—

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

And we got zero.

[Steve Verheul]

We weren't looking for any.

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Thank you. That's the answer I'm looking for.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Merrifield]

That's good, your time has gone.

Mr. Holder, you have five minutes.

[Ed Holder, Conservative, London West, ON]

Thank you, Chair.

I'd like to thank our guests.

Minister, it's great to have you here.

Mr. Verheul, Ms. Renart, and to your team, congratulations on where you've brought us to this point.

It's rather interesting. I appreciate that the role of—