Mr. Speaker, China is the fourth largest economy in the world, boasting unprecedented economic growth and providing tremendous trade and investment opportunities for Canada. Yet the Conservative government has all but ignored this economic powerhouse.
From the damaging allegations about industrial espionage to the snubbing of China's ambassador to Canada by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the actions of the minority Conservative government are causing the Canadian business community to miss the boat when it comes to trade and investment in China.
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce is calling on the Conservative minority government to bolster Canadian trade and investment in China and encourage Chinese companies to invest in Canada.
Business leaders are not alone in their desire for a stronger economic relationship with China. The Asia-Pacific Foundation released an opinion poll last week where Canadians named China, not the United States, as the most important potential export market for Canada.
The Conservatives' actions are being noticed by the Chinese government, which recently shut down negotiations to grant Canada approved destination status, effectively killing a multi-million dollar opportunity to allow Chinese tourists to visit Canada.
China's ambassador has felt the need to say that we need mutual respect. The Conservative government--