Mr. Speaker, we just saw a glaring example of the reason why people do not trust governments and of the current government's lack of transparency.
The minister mentioned the website. The website says: “Canada is not advocating the replication of NAFTA investor-state rules in the FTAA”.
On December 13, the minister himself said that he would not sign an agreement if it included a chapter 11 equivalent. He said:
“That is my position. I am very preoccupied with this”.
Today, in a way that is absolutely extraordinary but that will fool no one, they have decided to do a complete about-face and to change their position.
Does the minister not realize that, with this attitude, he is justifying the position of those asking that negotiations be done in a more transparent fashion? If the minister is able to change his position like this at a time when negotiations are not yet in full gear, we can imagine how it will be when we are seriously negotiating these issues.
Can the minister explain to us this complete about-face?