Madam Speaker, I will make a couple of comments first then ask the member a couple of questions about Bill C-35.
When we look at this bill we see a bill that tries to address the anti-dumping problem in the world where heavily subsidized foreign companies dump products into Canada and try to drive our businesses out of business. We see the bill as a move in the right direction. I do not claim that it is a perfect bill, but at least it does make that provision possible.
I would like the member to detail a bit what he would rather see in this bill. More importantly, because this comes before us in the form of a bill, we have a chance to debate an idea or a conclusion, in this case an act of parliament, that will commit Canadians to an international agreement for years to come. That does not happen all that often.
All too often people on behalf of the government wander off to different UN conferences, conventions, groups and backdoor meetings of all sorts. Often they sign on to deals and there is no corresponding legislation in the House of Commons. We live with whatever those folks negotiate behind closed doors.
The MAI is a good case in point. People were very nervous about the potential of the MAI. Although I must admit that Canada does need an agreement on international investment, it is a matter of how it is negotiated.
I would ask the member to comment on the approval process he would like to see on international agreements like this one. At least we have a bill that we can debate, talk about and amend. It is healthy for the House of Commons to deal with those issues in that way. There are countries, for example, Australia and the United States, and other countries both inside and outside the Commonwealth which have a much better approval process for ratifying international agreements. It involves either committees of a house or a vote of some sort before the treaties come into effect.
I would like the member to comment on two things. How would he like to see this bill specifically amended to strengthen it? More importantly, what type of approval process would he like to see this House adopt for the adoption of international treaties?