Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the hon. member's comments and words about the need to study this proposition from the government.
I wonder if, as part of that analysis, the member would consider the factor of acquisitions in Canada and the screen that we obviously need to put acquisitions through with respect to human rights in these emerging markets that he mentions.
Should we have some sort of forum in Canada so that when a country like China, or any of the other countries on the list of not the best representatives of international policy and diplomacy, tries to acquire Canadian companies, of which 11,000 have been acquired over the last number of years, we know its record on human rights? In this case, when we have a government buying one of our greatest mining companies, should human rights not be a factor in the decision around the acquisition of that company?
Under the Liberal government's advisement there clearly is no way to deny an acquisition of a Canadian firm. The door is simply open and the countries can pick and choose. The government clearly accepts every application that comes through. There have been no rejections in 11,000. Would human rights be one of the criteria that the hon. member would encourage to help these emerging markets into the new century?