I think it is an important question, because the government tries to take a nuanced view of investor-state dispute settlement in the context of our trade agreements.
It's obvious that clear and balanced rules and an effective dispute settlement mechanism are key to creating a predictable investment climate for Canadian investors abroad. We try to take an approach that balances investor protection with the country's right to regulate in the public interest.
In so doing, we look at the domestic legal regime of the country. We assess whether Canadian investors in that country would be able to rely upon the domestic legal regime to swiftly and effectively deal with any issues that might arise in that context, and then we make a determination of whether it feels appropriate in the context of a particular negotiation to seek additional disciplines that Canadian investors may have recourse to.
I don't want to speak specifically to any ongoing negotiations so I won't say what Canada is discussing with Ecuador, but we are certainly aware of the issues the member asked about in his earlier question of the minister with respect to the Supreme Court ruling in Ecuador, and all of that very much informs Canada's position at the negotiating table.
Thank you.