Mr. Speaker, I want to first underscore that the approach we are taking has been embraced both by the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage and the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade. We are leading the world in seeking a new cultural instrument to ensure that culture is not captured in the aegis of the WTO.
The reason Canada has taken this position and the reason we have worked very hard to bring together like-minded countries from around the world is precisely because we are a country that believes that respect for cultural diversity is part of our constitutional heritage.