moved:
Motion No. 2
That Bill C-35 be amended by deleting Clause 27.
Mr. Speaker, the Bloc Quebecois considers that Bill C-35 should not contain provision for the minimum duty.
We think it is premature to include the concept of a minimum duty in the Special Import Measures Act.
We think the government should stop approving policies that reduce the protection afforded Quebec and Canadian businesses when our main trading partners are not doing the same thing.
The Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade recommends including the concept of a minimum duty in section 45 of the legislation on public interest. However, clause 27 of the bill incorporates the concept of a minimum duty by amending section 45 of the existing legislation.
Thus, the Canadian International Trade Tribunal may, on its own initiative, or on request, initiate a public interest inquiry if it is of the opinion that the imposition of an anti-dumping or countervailing duty, or the imposition of such a duty in the full amount provided for by any of those sections, in respect of the goods would not or might not be in the public interest.
As a result of a public interest inquiry, if the tribunal is of the opinion that the imposition of a duty might not be in the public interest, the tribunal shall without delay do two things. First, it shall report to the Minister of Finance that it is of that opinion and provide that minister with a statement of the facts and, second, it shall cause notice of the report to be published in the Canada Gazette .
In addition, in that same report, the tribunal shall specify either a level of reduction in the anti-dumping or countervailing duty provided for, or a price or prices that are adequate to eliminate injury, retardation or the threat of injury to the domestic industry. It is through this last measure that the concept of minimum duty is introduced.
That is why we are moving Motion No. 2 to have clause 27, which introduces this concept of minimum duty, deleted.