Mr. Speaker, my question is for either the minister of trade or the minister of agriculture.
The U.S. has claimed in arguments before the special trade panel now sitting that Canada was fully aware that its conversion of import quotas on supply managed products to tariffs violates the NAFTA, even though tariffication is permitted under the GATT and the World Trade Organization. Canadian officials say there is no evidence of intergovernmental memos on this issue.
Can the minister give his word to the House that there is no documentation of any kind to prove the U.S. assertions, neither from a minister of the crown, past or present, nor from departmental officials, past or present, nor a statement issuing from any department which may jeopardize Canada's position vis-à-vis the U.S. in this dispute?