Mr. Speaker, the answer is as follows: (a) Canada submitted 60 bilateral market access requests to other WTO members and is a co-sponsor of nine plurilateral requests, i.e. financial services; telecommunications services; computer and related services; environmental services; energy services; construction services; architectural, engineering and integrated engineering services; legal services; and maritime transport services.
(b) To date, 74 WTO members have submitted initial offers and 32 have also submitted revised offers. The offers from those members to which Canada made requests respond to some of the requests made, but there are gaps. Bilateral negotiations are ongoing complemented by the plurilateral negotiations. The extent to which Canada’s requests will be met will not be known until the end of the negotiations.
(c) Canada received 42 bilateral requests from other WTO members and is a direct recipient of 10 plurilateral requests: agricultural services, air transport services, audiovisual services, services provided through commercial presence, cross-border supply of services, distribution services, logistics services, most-favoured nation exemptions, postal/courier services and temporary movement of natural persons.
(d) Subsequent to the exchange of initial requests WTO members submitted initial market access offers in March 2003, and revised offers in July 2005. Canada’s offers take into account the basic negotiating parameters and objectives that were outlined in our initial negotiating proposal, as well as the various bilateral requests received from other members. The negotiations are ongoing. These offers are conditional on the overall level of liberalization produced at the end of the negotiations.
(e) In the context of the GATS, Canada has not signed on to any new agreements. Final GATS offers are to be submitted in October 2006 and the Doha round is to be completed by the end of December 2006.
(f) Canada has not changed its position on telecommunications foreign investment restrictions. Canada is not offering to eliminate or reduce its current restrictions on telecommunications foreign ownership in the context of the current GATS negotiations. Neither our initial nor revised GATS offer included any liberalization with respect to telecommunications foreign investment. With respect to the audiovisual sector, Canada's position remains that we will not take commitments that would impede our flexibility to achieve cultural policy objectives. Canada is not offering to take on commitments in the audiovisual sector in the context of the current GATS negotiations.
(g) The Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade works closely with both Industry Canada and the Department of Canadian Heritage with respect to the development of Canada's position in international fora regarding the telecommunications and cultural sectors, including Canada's position in the WTO negotiations on the foreign investment restrictions for telecommunications and broadcasting services.
(h) In the context of the GATS, Canada has not signed on to any new agreements. Final GATS offers are to be submitted in October 2006 while completion of the Doha round of negotiations is scheduled to be completed by the end of December 2006.
(i) The next cluster of services negotiations is scheduled for the second week in July. In the context of the GATS, Canada has not signed on to any new agreements. Final GATS offers are to be submitted in October 2006 and the Doha round is to be completed by the end of December 2006.