Mr. Speaker, I want to make very clear what the federal government's position has been throughout the negotiations last year on the internal trade agreement and as we bring forward the legislation which will implement that agreement with respect to the federal level.
We have entirely and totally pursued a process which is consensual. All 10 provinces signed the accord last July 18. The new Government of Quebec stressed at the one meeting which has been held since the most recent Quebec election that it is fully supportive of the internal trade agreement.
This has been a process in which some have criticized the federal government for not using powers which it is said we might have. The fact is we prefer to see the regulation of internal trade, interprovincial trade, affected by agreement among the partners to Confederation. That is why we signed an internal trade agreement. That is the policy of the government and there is no further clarification required.