Thank you, Madam Chair.
I want to thank all the witnesses.
Mr. Harvey, I jumped a little when you said that the House hadn't thoroughly studied Bill C-282. First of all, you have every right to come and tell us that you oppose the bill, that it's not a good idea and that the Senate should reject it. There's nothing wrong with that. That's why we're here.
On the other hand, it can't be said that we haven't done a thorough job. We undertook it twice: once during the last parliament and once during this one. Both times, I was one of the two critics in favour of the bill, and we even went on a fact-finding tour around Quebec on the subject.
The latest process, which went further than the previous one, was perfectly normal. First, the bill was introduced at first reading. Then it was debated and passed at second reading. Then it was referred to committee, where we carried out a study over an appropriate number of meetings. We heard from experts and interest groups, some in favour of the bill, others opposed. We heard all possible arguments. We weighed them, then reported the bill back to the House, where it passed on third reading and was sent to the Senate, where it is currently under consideration.
In my opinion, that was a good thing, but not in yours. That's fine, that's part of democracy. But that doesn't mean there hasn't been a thorough review. Of course, you may find that this process is insufficient, but if that's the case, your criticism applies to the process in general because it's the same for all bills. Otherwise, I invite you to consider your words carefully before you speak.
Now, I'd like to ask Mr. Volpe a question.
In January 2023, following a complaint from Mexico and Canada, a panel ruled in our favour concerning a difference in interpretation of U.S. requirements for calculating the regional value content of certain products. The dispute concerned a technical provision of the trade agreement requiring that, by 2025, 75% of automotive parts known as “essential parts” must be manufactured on U.S. soil to qualify for duty-free treatment.
In your opinion, what irritants are still present and could be discussed or even resolved during the CUSMA review?