Madam Speaker, that question clearly betrays the NDP ideology behind every position it takes on trade.
As we know the NDP is alone in the House of Commons in speaking out in favour of building silos of protection around the world, including Canada. The NDP members oppose free trade. They opposed NAFTA, for crying out loud. They do not believe in free trade.
Canada is a trading nation, one of the greatest trading nations in the world. In fact, all the evidence proves that since the North American Free Trade Agreement was adopted and ratified, trade between Canada and the United States has almost tripled. That is the greatest trade news Canadians could have expected. We far exceeded the expectations that we had when NAFTA was actually implemented.
I know the member's ideology puts him into a straitjacket. We will never get any other kind of a position from the NDP or from that member, but I am pleased to say that we have been able to garner the support not only of our own party but the Liberals support us and the Bloc supports us.
Canada is a free trading nation. Quite frankly, we have to so everything we can to maintain those trade relationship ties with our American cousins to the south.