Mr. Speaker, as currently drafted these bills would clearly adversely affect Canadian trade and economic interests if they were passed into law.
Not only do their provisions violate U.S. obligations under NAFTA and the World Trade Organization, but they are also inconsistent with generally recognized principles of international law. The proposed import prohibitions on sugar and sugar containing products are a particular concern. If enacted, they could affect Canadian exports to the tune of $500 million a year.
The Government of Canada is strongly opposed to the measures in these bills and we are vigorously conveying Canadian concerns to both the administration and Congress. The Minister for International Trade has repeatedly raised our concerns with the U.S. trade representative, Mr. Kantor.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs has also made it clear that, while Canada and the United States may share similar long term goals of democracy and economic reform in Cuba, Canada has no intention of agreeing with U.S. attempts to impose its Cuban embargo through secondary boycotts on third countries.
Ambassador Chrétien has written to members of Congress urging them to oppose the bill. Other governments also share our concerns and we are maintaining close contact with them in order to co-ordinate responsive efforts.
Earlier this week, the U.S. administration's response to Congress on this bill was released. We were pleased to see that the administration has taken into account Canada's concerns. In particular, the U.S. administration opposes the provisions in the bill that would impose an import prohibition on sugar and sugar-containing products.
Finally, we expect the administration will put strong pressure on the U.S. Congress to ensure that the legislation is modified.