Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues for agreeing to my proposal to share our speaking time on this important debate.
Indeed, this is an important debate. Each time Canada signs a free trade agreement with another country, it is, in theory, excellent news, because when these agreements are carefully negotiated, and especially when we have been able to have some input, they pave the way for improved bilateral or multilateral trade.
These free trade agreements and multilateral agreements also contain a certain amount of discipline, which is quite welcome, given that over the last 50 years we have experienced some extremely turbulent times in international trade, with subsidy wars and price wars, particularly in the agricultural sector, as my colleague from the Alliance mentioned earlier.
Therefore, in theory, we can only applaud each time an agreement is signed to civilize trade, to ensure that there are clear rules, and to improve trade, employment and investment opportunities.
There are, however, three problems in this agreement between Canada and Costa Rica. Despite our support of it in principle, these three problems are worth raising. Perhaps the government, if it is open, if it as smart as it claims to be, could remedy them readily.
The first problem is the lack of transparency as far as the negotiation of free trade agreements is concerned. This applies to the agreement between Canada and Costa Rica, it applies to all other agreements, of which there have been many in recent years.
The second problem concerns the provisions relating to investments. We have frequently criticized these provisions within NAFTA and now we find them again in the Free Trade Agreement between Canada and Costa-Rica.
The third, one that crops up every time there are negotiations, even for the entire 50 years there have been negotiations for GATT, the WTO, and bilateral agreements, concerns the international distribution of the sugar market. A dangerous precedent was set with negotiations between the Canadian and Costa Rican governments.
As far as the first problem is concerned, that is the lack of transparency and a certain lack of democratic spirit on the government's side, people are becoming somewhat annoyed by it.
On the one hand, we have a government that claims to be democratic and, particularly since the dramatic events of September 11 in the United States, a defender of democracy, freedom and democratic institutions.
Yet every time there are negotiations on free trade agreements, bilateral or multilateral, or any other—and their numbers are increasing with each passing year—parliament, the direct expression of our democratic system, is not involved.
And every time an attempt is made, particularly by my colleague from Joliette, who is the Bloc Quebecois trade critic, to introduce bills here to ensure that parliament is consulted at every stage of trade treaty negotiations, every time those bills have been introduced, they have been roundly rejected by the Liberals.