Evidence of meeting #6 for International Trade in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was negotiations.
A recording is available from Parliament.
2:55 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
Thank you very much, Mr. Fragiskatos.
I have no other speakers.
Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. Savard-Tremblay is still on the list.
2:55 p.m.
Bloc
Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay Bloc Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC
I would like clarification on one thing.
If Parliament does indeed rise on December 11, as scheduled, even if discussions are currently under way, we would need to make a clear decision as to whether we are going to insist on the meeting, since the deadline is one we have set. We need to be clear about that and not leave it hanging. In other words, we shouldn't say that, if Parliament rises, we are not going to hold the meeting. Is this even possible, by the way? I would like some clarification, please.
2:55 p.m.
Liberal
2:55 p.m.
Liberal
Rachel Bendayan Liberal Outremont, QC
I could change the amendment to address the honourable member's concern or comment, if he'd like. The deadline could be changed to December 10. That way, we would have absolute certainty that Parliament would still be sitting and we could hold our meeting.
I am not sure whether that addresses the member's concern, but I would definitely be open to that change.
3 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
Your amendment to Ms. Gray's motion would be that the minister appear before December 10.
Is that correct, Ms. Bendayan?
3 p.m.
Liberal
Rachel Bendayan Liberal Outremont, QC
Yes. That is correct, Madam Chair.
I think that would respond to the concern raised by my colleague, and I certainly have no issue with that.
3 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
It's that the minister appear “before December 10”.
Mr. Blaikie, would you like a recorded vote on this?
November 20th, 2020 / 3 p.m.
The Clerk of the Committee Ms. Christine Lafrance
This is on the amendment of Ms. Bendayan to replace “December 4” with “December 10”.
3 p.m.
Liberal
3 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Judy Sgro
We will now vote on Ms. Gray's motion.
(Motion agreed to: yeas 0; nays 11)
All right, it's carried unanimously.
My apologies for the delay with the witnesses.
Do we still have our witnesses with us?
We'll go back to Ms. Gray for the four minutes remaining.
3 p.m.
Conservative
Tracy Gray Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC
Thank you very much, Madam Chair.
We had earlier testimony that Prime Minister Trudeau met with former prime minister Theresa May regarding discussions over a trade agreement back in 2017. I'm wondering when Prime Minister Trudeau met with Prime Minister Boris Johnson to discuss a trade agreement.
3:05 p.m.
Liberal
3:05 p.m.
Chief Negotiator for the Canada-United Kingdom Transitional Trade Agreement, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
I think I'll start and then I'm happy to turn to my colleague, the high commissioner in London, who might have some further information on that.
The prime ministers have met a number of times. I think most recently, last week, they had a telephone discussion. I'm not sure if you're looking for an entire list or if you're just looking for recent discussions.
Perhaps I could turn to the high commissioner for further elaboration.
3:05 p.m.
High Commissioner for Canada in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Madam Chair, I'm happy to elaborate on that.
As Mr. Forsyth was saying, Prime Minister Trudeau and Prime Minister Johnson have met in person on at least two occasions, to the best of my memory. One of them would have been in July of last year. That would have been July 2019. That would have been their first bilateral meeting after Mr. Johnson had taken over as the prime minister here in the United Kingdom. It took place in Biarritz, France, on the margins of the G7 meeting. At that point, they had a conversation about many topics and their relationship, including the trade agreement negotiations.
They've had a number of telephone conversations. The other in-person meeting they would have had would have been in December 2019, when Prime Minister Trudeau was here in London for a NATO leaders meeting. I think that was quite a brief conversation. I don't think they dealt in detail with trade matters at that point.
There have been periodic telephone conversations as well. In the readouts that the Prime Minister's Office has provided, you'll see there have been periodic references to the discussion around trade.
3:05 p.m.
Conservative
Tracy Gray Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC
Thank you very much.
When we pulled out of trade negotiations in 2019, what month would that have been?
3:05 p.m.
Chief Negotiator for the Canada-United Kingdom Transitional Trade Agreement, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
That was in March 2019.
3:05 p.m.
Conservative
Tracy Gray Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC
Thank you.
I know there were a couple of references to the Canada Gazette with regard to getting stakeholder engagement. I'm glad those were brought up actually, because what's listed in the Gazette from 2018 was the following:
The Government of Canada will continue to inform Canadians as it continues to actively engage the European Union and the United Kingdom in an effort to minimize disruptions from Brexit for Canadians.
This says it will continue to inform Canadians. What part of this shows businesses and Canadians that we're engaging with them? Where is the outreach call in the Gazette saying that you're doing outreach?
3:05 p.m.
Chief Negotiator for the Canada-United Kingdom Transitional Trade Agreement, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
There are other parts to the Gazette notice as well. There are calls for stakeholders to provide us with their input, if I'm not mistaken.
