Mr. Chairman, the amendment is very complex and has far-reaching impacts on this type of negotiation.
The standing committee of foreign affairs is the appropriate forum for discussion of the amendment. We would not support the amendment today. However we do see the potential for this type of discussion in committee and the potential for this type of change for future treaty ratification.
It is important to recognize that a lot of countries will be looking at Canada's legislation relative to the land mine treaty and will be adapting some of the Canadian approaches in their own countries.
We do not want to create some type of legislation that is easily bogged down in the mechanism of parliament that prevents speedy ratification for other countries. It is similar to what happened in the U.S., for example, with the fast track negotiating powers which had not been granted to the president and are thus inhibiting and impeding progress or U.S. ability to participate in international trade negotiation to the full extent that it would have been able to with fast track.