Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his kind remarks to me and to the minister. As he knows I certainly will share those comments with the minister. I think a lot of good and important work was done in achieving a democracy clause at Quebec City. I am pleased to see he is very supportive of that.
The member talks about, and rightly so, the Liberal Party changing its view after the 1988 election won by his party. We certainly did change our view as a party. The facts speak for themselves in terms of the enormous benefits of free trade. There is no denying it, other than it seems the NDP is determined to deny those facts. The reality is the facts speak for themselves on just how positive it has been for Canada.
As a student and teacher of history I want to help the member out a little on the respective positions of our two parties. He will recall that Sir John A. Macdonald was the champion of protectionism. At that time the continentalist party was traditionally the Liberal Party. It was only in the latter part of the 20th century with the Mulroney government that the Conservatives started to move more toward a free trade party.
With all due respect to my colleague, a reading of Canadian history will show the traditional economic position of our two parties. The Liberal Party has been far more the continentalist party traditionally while his party, starting with our first prime minister, was a party of national policy built on protectionism. High tariffs was one of the fundamental tenets of that protectionist national policy. That sets the record straight for the many viewers out there.
I will ask my colleague a question on investment. We very much intend to table our position on investment, but it simply is not ready for that now. Does the member not agree that it is important we consult widely with Canadians?
I spoke about this point recently with the chamber of commerce in my riding of London—Fanshawe. Those business people and other Canadians very much want to be consulted on what our policy would be. Those consultations are under way now. Does the member not think it is important to finish that consultation extensively rather than rush into the House and into a premature release of our position on investment?