Debates of Oct. 2nd, 2012

Opposition Motion—Nexen

[Raymond Côté, NDP, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

Mr. Speaker, to continue with the issue of outside investments, I reminded the House earlier of the problems associated with the fate of the Stadacona plant after it was bought out by an American investor, which in and of itself is not a bad thing when it comes to foreign investment. However, that case speaks volumes about the laxness that has been tolerated for a long time in Canada. It is truly deplorable.

These foreign investments, and their repercussions and consequences, are substantial. I would remind the House that, after the Stadacona plant was bought out in 2003, it went from having 1,600 employees to barely 300 employees, with a salary freeze for the next three years. Moreover, a part of the pension fund will be liquidated.

What it comes down to is clear rules and how such clarity might help interested investors to get involved in Canada and play a positive role as contributors to our society.

[Laurin Liu, NDP, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my honourable colleague for his question.

Indeed, the Conservative members keep saying that the NDP is against trade with other countries, but this is not true.

We are in favour of trade agreements with other countries, but these agreements have to benefit Canada and they must make sure that value added jobs stay in Canada for Canadian workers. This is very important.

I would also add that sustainable development is a very important issue for my constituents and Canadians in general. We know that by providing investors with access to Canadian shale gas, investors will be guaranteed recourse that will be included in trade agreements. The government is hampering our ability to implement legislation that promotes the sustainable development of the tar sands. This is very worrisome, especially for future generations that will have to live with the consequences of the exploitation of this resource.

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is my honour to speak today to the opposition motion regarding the Investment Canada Act.

I will be sharing my time with the fine member for Don Valley West.

I would like to ensure that everyone understands the six factors listed in the Investment Canada Act and why they are important as part of the review process of the act as it stands today. I am working under the assumption that everybody in the House has read them. However, I want to ensure that my constituents in Burlington have an understanding of the process now, what the law is now and what the evaluation criteria are on foreign investment in Canada.

I will list the six criteria and then I will talk about why they are important. The first is the effect of the investment on the level and nature of economic activity in Canada, including the effect on employment, on resource processing and on the utilization of parts, components and services produced here in Canada.

The second of the six criteria is the degree and significance of participation by Canadians in the Canadian business.

The third criterion is the effect of the investment on productivity, industrial efficiency, technological development, product innovation and product variety in Canada.

The fourth factor considered in the Investment Canada Act, which the minister will review and have staff provide information on, and not just on this particular deal that seems to be today's topic but all deals by foreign entities, is the effect of the investment on competition within any industry or industries in Canada.

The fifth criterion is the compatibility of the investment with national, industrial, economic and cultural policies.

Finally, the sixth criterion is the contribution of the investment to Canada’s ability to compete in world markets.

Those are all the criteria set out in legislation, easily found on the Internet and readable by everyone, including those who are investing in or wish to invest in Canada. They provide an understanding of the criteria set out in law for their decision making in terms of pursuing a Canadian company. Of course, the Investment Canada Act is important for foreign companies buying Canadian companies. There are no restrictions on Canadian companies purchasing other Canadian companies. It does not affect any industrial change that may happen when companies want to expand or change product lines within Canada. Canadian companies are more than welcome to make those investments within the country. However, we do need a regulatory framework, which we have, that allows the government and the minister of the day to look at what is good for Canada in the overall picture of a foreign purchase.

I will begin with the last criterion, which is the contribution of the investment and Canada’s ability to compete in world markets, because it is important. It is the criterion the minister will consider by asking if it will make Canada more or less competitive. There is no criterion that says we want to hurt Canada's ability to compete in the world markets.

When we look at any industry today, we need to ask if it will help Canada to be more productive and play a bigger role in the world marketplace. Let us face it, we are not kidding anybody. Everyone operates in a global market. Very few businesses rely on the local market, although some retail businesses do, but even in my community of Burlington, the largest employer, a pork slaughterhouse that packages materials, has 800 employees and its major customers are overseas. It sells in Canada and in North America but it is able to reach out to other parts of the world. The company happens to be owned by an American company, with some local equity and local owners involved.

However, everybody operates in that field and we need a criterion, which we have in the Investment Canada Act. When we look at somebody else buying a Canadian company, we need to look at whether we would be better off having access to marketplaces that we might not have had access to because the Canadian company was too small, or it did not have the delivery network that often would come along with an acquisition or where another company in another part of the world have distribution networks that were not available to the Canadian company. Vice versa, if it reduces our ability as a Canadian company to access other markets or reduces our ability as Canadians to produce and sell around the world, that criterion can be used to stop an acquisition. At least it is part of the criteria.

I will talk about the compatibility of the investment with national, industrial, economic and cultural policies. We have those criteria in there so if there is a purchase of a property, or a business or assets that have a cultural impact on Canada, we have the criteria by which the minister can evaluate what the impact will be on the cultural identity of Canada. If it will hurt the cultural identity of Canada, it is an opportunity for the minister of the day to say that it is not a good investment for Canada because it is against our cultural policies. It gives the government an opportunity to evaluate it. This is the kind of review that will occur on any acquisition that triggers the Investment Canada Act.

Regarding the effect of the investment on competition within the industry and industries in Canada, a key component is we do not think it is a good thing for foreign investment to come into Canada and create monopolies. We on our side of the House believe in competition. We have made policies, whether through free trade or industry, through our industry committee and our industry minister, to increase competition in telecommunications. We think competition provides better products and services to individuals because they have more choice. It drives down prices normally and also drives innovation and change because the businesses want to keep up with the competition. If they do not have any competition, they do not need to change, or improve or provide customer service. However, through competition and innovation that will happen. It is a criterion of the Investment Canada Act that is presently in place, one that the current and previous ministers have used to evaluate where we go.

That is only three of the six. There are six criteria of which everybody needs to be aware. Investments by foreign entities in Canada are not made without any scrutiny, as was indicated by the previous questioner that these things were not being applied. The minister will look at each one, whatever the circumstance might be, and at how it affects Canada. Those decisions will be made in the best interests of Canada in its long-term economic growth and prosperity.

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

Mr. Speaker, in my colleague's speech and in every other speech from Conservatives so far today there have been some key words missing, like the words “Nexen” and “CNOOC”, actually words that relate to the motion before us. That would be the Conservatives dancing around an issue on which they do not seem to be inclined to listen to their constituents.

The member was in the House back in 2010 when Conservatives unanimously voted for the motion that would make public hearings a mandatory part of foreign investment review. Therefore, given that the motion we are talking about is to have those public hearings for which the Conservatives voted, why are they changing their position? Why did they not come clean in the last election with their constituents and possible voters?

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the member's question is completely inaccurate in this sense. The member is absolutely right, I was here. I was also a member of industry committee in the previous Parliament. In that committee the Conservatives brought forward the opportunity to study the Investment Canada Act and to make recommendations to the minister for changes. We brought it forward time and time again.

Let me clarify something so people understand. When we were in a minority situation, the decisions on agenda items and what would be studied were made by the committee majority, which was fair. Who was opposed to studying the act? The NDP was opposed to studying it. Those members had other studies they wanted to do. We brought the Investment Canada Act forward time and time again and the NDP did not want to study it or make changes to it. We were interested in discussing change and improvements. All of a sudden, johnny-come-lately says that there is an issue and the NDP is interested in the topic. It is ridiculous. The NDP did not want to do it then and now it only wants to do it for political reasons.

The system we have now, with the six criteria, is the most professional and effective way of doing it. If those members are serious, then the motion would have asked us to review it immediately. The NDP is still not interested in that.

[Ted Hsu, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague began his remarks by talking about market access and the potential benefits of foreign acquisitions achieving market access for the products of Canadian workers. My hon. colleague is mistaken about this being particularly important in this case. In this case, Nexen is producing a commodity so market access is not that important, because the product that we are talking about is not really distinguishable from other sources of energy, oil in particular.

That points out to me the need for more clarity on what net benefit means so all Canadians will understand the government's thinking and how it will do that evaluation.

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I was talking about our policy framework. I am not talking about a specific case. When this case is over, there will be another one in the future. There was one not that long ago on potash.

What I was talking about was one of the six criteria. All six do not have to come into play when the minister reviews it. It could be one of those six criteria that triggers a decision one way or another, but all six would be considered.

The member is absolutely right. A different acquisition would have a different criteria and a higher priority. I was just highlighting one of the six that happens to be in law now. I have full confidence that our minister will be reviewing and taking under consideration the Investment Canada Act with respect to the current application.

[John Carmichael, Conservative, Don Valley West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague from Burlington did an outstanding job of presenting his arguments.

I wish to speak very briefly about this important topic that has relevance to all Canadians and for future generations of Canadians.

Foreign investment, the Canada Investment Act and Canada's economic prosperity are all closely linked. Our government has engaged with Canadians and with Canadian companies to hear directly from them what is of most pressing importance. At all times, we have heard the same thing. It is the economy, employment and how to make Canada a better place for businesses to grow and succeed.

Our government has focused on the economy with our economic action plan. We are ensuring that Canada's economic foundation remains strong. Despite the economic downturn of the past few years, we continue to lead the developed world. Canada is a premier destination for investment.

Our government has taken the necessary steps to ensure Canada continues to attract investment that promotes economic growth, job creation and prosperity for hard-working Canadians. We recognize foreign investment creates many benefits for Canada. For example, investments often result in new technologies being adopted in Canada. We all know technology is linked to increased productivity.

Our government has been a strong supporter of science, technology and research. We know these are the key building blocks of innovation. We know science powers commerce. We also know that to continue to be successful, Canada must drive product and service innovations into every corner of our economy.

Foreign investment increases the amount of research and development conducted in Canada. In 2010 nearly 15% of business expenditures on research and development in Canada came from foreign investment. Therefore, foreign investment is important to Canada because it helps to support and improve our economy and, most important, create jobs for Canadians.

At the same time, Canada does not exist in a vacuum. Canada must compete in a globalized economy, and that world is changing quickly.

While Canada has led the developed countries since the economic downturn in 2008 due to our government's careful stewardship of the economy, new challenges are emerging. Economic powerhouses in Asia and Latin America have stepped onto the world stage and have taken up leading roles. In addition, the economic rise of Asian countries is well-known. These new emerging powers are both targets for investment and sources of investment. Canada must both compete with them to attract investment, while at the same time try to attract investment from them.

The Investment Canada Act was established to encourage investment in Canada that would contribute to economic growth and provide for the review of significant investments in Canada by non-Canadians in order to ensure such benefit to Canada. The act was brought into force in 1985 to liberalize the foreign investment review regime, which had seen the precipitous drop in inward investment. The Investment Canada Act replaced the Foreign Investment Review Act, which was in place from 1973 to 1985. The Trudeau era FIRA process was not well-received and it did not do a very good job at helping Canadians attract investment. Given the foreign investment review act process, Canada's image as an attractive investment destination was in fact damaged.

After 1977, there was a sharp reduction of direct foreign investment and an outflow of capital from Canada. The 1982 recession further weakened the support for the Foreign Investment Review Act. By 1983, it was clear that the act was due for major modifications.

The Investment Canada Act replaced the foreign investment review act and with that marked a shift in purpose. Recognizing the beneficial effects of increased capital and technology on the economy, the Investment Canada Act encourages investment in Canada that contributes to economic growth and employment opportunities. The act distinguishes between investments in cultural business and other investments. Since June of 1999, the Minister of Canadian Heritage has been responsible for the notification and review of investments in cultural businesses. The Minister of Industry is responsible for all other investments and for general administration of the Investment Canada Act itself.

Canada's foreign investment policy has been one of continued liberalization. Our government has built on this by introducing legislation to increase the monetary threshold before reviews occur and removing some sectoral limitations. At the same time, recognizing the global security context, our government introduced guidelines for the review of investments by state-owned enterprises and rules for screening investments for national security concerns.

With respect to foreign investments, our government has a sound process in place to ensure they benefit Canadians. Earlier this year, we introduced targeted amendments to the Investment Canada Act that provide greater transparency to the public, more flexibility and enforcement, and an alternative to costly and time-consuming litigation.

Prior to those changes, in 2009, the government made amendments to the Investment Canada Act to provide the minister responsible flexibility to provide more information to Canadians on the review process directly. The government's focus is to make sure the Canadian economy remains competitive and productivity gains are achieved.

Sound policies and a world-class climate for business are essential for making Canada a prime destination for investment. To that effect, our government sets policy priorities that reflect this view. We create programs that support strong innovation, we put in place a globally competitive industrial policy and we support an attractive business environment that promotes and rewards entrepreneurship. Just as important, we must lead by example so that Canadian businesses are welcome investors in foreign countries, allowing them to expand their operations into new markets and to compete successfully with the best in the world.

[Marc-André Morin, NDP, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

Mr. Speaker, welcome to the land of confusion. Our colleagues on the other side of the House have forgotten to mention one thing: the sale of Nexen is not an example of foreign investment. It is a hostile takeover of a Canadian strategic resource by a totalitarian regime that will appoint the directors of the future company, which will control an important resource whose value is set to increase tenfold in the upcoming years.

Earlier, my colleague from Burlington spoke about competition. Is China a model when it comes to ensuring competition? Should we not be relying on ourselves instead? China is subsidizing companies left, right and centre and is exceedingly interventionist. I would like the members on the other side to think a little before speaking.

[John Carmichael, Conservative, Don Valley West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the member talked about opposing opinions. Clearly, the opinion of the NDP is to oppose trade at all levels. We have seen this for the past session.

It is important to note that this is not a particularly hostile takeover. In fact, the board of directors and the acquirer were in agreement on the deal at which they arrived. It is now our responsibility as a government to ensure it is a benefit to the nation. That is what our Minister of Industry will be doing.

I would like to quote a senior executive officer of one of the largest mining companies in the country, who said that he was not surprised at the divided opinion on the merits of the takeover among both executives and the public.

It is natural for Canadians to be opposed to deals that are driven by state-owned companies...that potentially don't allow Canadians reciprocal rights.

This is obviously something we want to see happen. However, he said:

I don't support government intervention in any business.

He noted that Nexen has only 25% of its assets in Canada and that CNOOC will be keeping most of Nexen's head office functions in Calgary. In addition, he said:

Nexen wasn't exactly performing all that well, and it looks like [CNOOC] is willing to put some capital into the company and have it grow.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Speaker, when we listen to the New Democrats, we get the impression that this should be a dead deal, and the previous questioner almost put that on the record. However, when we listen to the Conservatives, we would think there is no need to have any sort of review.

At the end of the day, even this Conservative member would recognize that CSIS, our security agency, has highlighted the importance of security and why we need to give more due diligence to this proposed deal.

I think Canadians want to see a government that genuinely cares about foreign investment and ensuring it is in Canada's best interest. We want to see more diligence.

My question to the member is: Why would he oppose any sort of open, public, transparent hearing or discussion regarding whether or not this is in Canada's best interest to see this deal go through? Why would he oppose that sort of approach in dealing with this particular investment?

[John Carmichael, Conservative, Don Valley West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I think my colleagues have been abundantly clear that the Minister of Industry has undertaken a full review of this transaction and it is his intent to bring forward a decision in the next period of time.

To the member's statement, no, nothing is completed or committed to at this point. However, I would like to bring to his attention, as he talks about security, some changes that our government has brought to the Investment Canada Act over the last number of years.

In 2007, there were changes to ensure that state-owned enterprises adhere to Canadian standards of corporate governance and operate according to commercial principles.

In 2009, there were provisions for a national security review under the Investment Canada Act. It is looked after and taken care of. It is going to be done.

In 2012, there were changes to allow the ministers of industry and Canadian heritage to communicate more information on the review process.

I think that covers it.

[Dennis Bevington, NDP, Western Arctic, NT]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to have an opportunity to speak to this, and I will be sharing my time with the member for Winnipeg Centre.

We are speaking to a motion that says that, in the opinion of the House, the government should not make a decision on the proposed takeover of Nexen by CNOOC without conducting thorough public consultations, and these accessible public hearings should be on the issue of foreign ownership in the Canadian energy sector with a reference to state-owned enterprises.

So far in the debate what I have learned from the government side is that in terms of policy and direction on this, the Conservatives are simply not there. They do not have the capacity to make a decision that is in the public interest because they do have the policies that allow them to analyze public interest.

In this world today, state-owned enterprises are the norm in the energy sector across the world, whether it is Mexico, Norway, Brazil, Venezuela—in fact in most of the OPEC countries—and 75% of all oil resources are under the control of states worldwide. This is the reality of the oil and gas industry today. Only 7% of all oil and gas reserves are in countries that have a free rein on investment in oil and gas. Quite clearly, Canada is an exception, especially among energy exporting countries.

I think of all the major energy exporting countries, and Canada is the only one that allows a free rein on investment. We have a situation in which Canada is not lined up with the rest of the world. We must explain why our competitive system, as we have heard the Conservatives describe it, is going to work going forward for our children and grandchildren. In terms of reserves, 13 top oil companies are state-owned. This game is afoot around the world and where is Canada? It is stuck in the mud.

What is the feeling in Canada about energy? The general agreement, whether it is the premiers or the industry itself, is that we need a national energy strategy. Right across the country, there is a great deal of concern that we do not have one. This situation has been facing the Conservatives for the last six years, their time in government, and they have stonewalled on it. They have done nothing.

It would be easier to support ownership of any kind if there were a Canadian agreement on the maximizing of benefits from our non-renewable and finite energy sources. These are non-renewable. These are finite. When we take them out of the country, we have less in the country, not more. So the bank account is being depleted as we speak, with our resources. What is the net benefit to Canadians from that?

In the absence of a national energy strategy, how well does the laissez-faire approach work? How well is it working in the oil sands we are talking about today? One can safely say that it has been characterized by a chaotic and uncertain approach that jumps from one idea to the next. There is no control, no understanding of the environmental impacts of the oil sands. In fact, the industry itself has turned its back on the major agencies that were set up to study it and said they will not work.

Take upgrading bitumen, which is a big component in the oil sands, a big part of the money and the benefits that can be made by Canadians. In 2007, the industry was prepared to upgrade all the oil in Canada. It was prepared to invest $100 billion in upgrading. How much is it ready to do today? Nothing. There is no upgrading capacity that is moving forward today in Canada, so we have lost that. Why did industry change so rapidly? What is it about our system that allows that kind of chaotic behaviour?

There is a lack of effective research. If we look at the numbers, they show that research in the oil sands is far smaller than it is in most other aspects of the international energy scene. Why is that, when we know that the issues around the development of the oil sands are complex and become more complex the deeper we go in the ground? At a breakfast held here in Ottawa before the summer break, a professor from the University of Calgary explained very clearly what is going to happen as companies dig deeper into the oil sands and how much more difficult that is going to become.

What about the direction for markets? We are proposing a pipeline to the United States to upgrade the bitumen in old refineries down there that were designed for Venezuelan heavy oil. In fact right now BP had one of its licenses turned down to operate one of those upgraders in the United States because it did not meet environmental standards. That is one idea that we have had.

The other idea is to market it in China, in the far east, through the gateway pipeline, though it opposed by almost every person along that route. The idea is to export raw bitumen to China at the same time we are exporting liquefied natural gas to China. We are going to combine them there in an upgrader. How does that work for Canada?

We have an industry with real problems, public relations problems in the extreme with the sale of a product that we cannot manage. Moreover, we cannot maximize the return on investments. We are squandering our resources on quick and dirty action in those oil sands. That is what is happening.

How can we as Canadians make a decision today about the value of transferring the ownership of one Canadian company to a state-owned enterprise in China when we do not have a plan that we can point to for the people who are taking over the industry, saying that this is what we want them to accomplish if they come into the country, that this is how we want them to develop our country? It is not there.

What about our neighbours, the United States? What do they think about this? There is bipartisan horror at the idea of turning over 1.3 million acres of Gulf of Mexico oil leases to the Chinese. Why is that? It is because the U.S. understands the nature of offshore oil. They understand that the goal in their country is to develop the resources so that they are energy independent. They know that very well. That is why they are standing up. They are standing up for the interests of the United States.

Two weeks ago I brought up the matter of the leases in the Arctic. We just gave up a lease in the Arctic of over 900,000 square hectares to a company with almost no assets, a company that we knew was going to turn around and sell it to someone else, maybe the Russians, the Koreans, or the Chinese, who have icebreakers and deep sea drilling capacity.

Does our minister even have the power to say no to a transfer? No, he does not under the Canada Petroleum Resources Act that governs northern petroleum development. He does not have the ability to say no to a transfer.

Right across this country, we are failing our children and our grandchildren with our laissez-faire approach to an industry and energy source that countries right around the world are standing up for themselves and taking advantage of us for. That is what is happening right around the world.

Where is Canada? It is without a strategy, without a direction, flailing in the wind. That is a terrible thing to have to say in this Parliament.

Here we have a chance to change it. If the Conservatives get onside and start holding public hearings on these issues that are so important to us, that can make the difference. Stand up for Canada. Make a difference.

[Dean Del Mastro, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and to the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I am sure that many people on this side of the House are shocked by the intervention they just heard by the hon. member. Apparently, Hugo Chavez has the energy industry and energy exports figured out and, as Canada is not there yet, we should follow Venezuela.

However, I challenge the member and his colleagues to point to another country where its nation's citizens benefit more from its resources than Canada. Billions of dollars are being contributed each and every year to a public health care system and a public education system.

The member mentioned that Canada's energy resources are finite. There is so much oil in Canada's oil sands that if production were doubled today, we would be harvesting oil for 180 years. That is a fact.

One of the most disturbing things, which the NDP has not yet indicated, is whether or not it is in favour of nationalizing Canada's energy program. Is that what I am hearing? Would they like to push out shareholder-owned companies in which the pension funds of that member's constituents, and indeed of the constituents of every member of the NDP, invest? Are they in favour of taking over those and pushing out investors who benefit from Canada's energy resources as well as every single Canadian?

[Dennis Bevington, NDP, Western Arctic, NT]

Mr. Speaker, the national energy strategy that I spoke of is supported by the premiers, including Premier Redford of Alberta, and the oil industry. We are not talking about nationalization but about standing up for Canadian interests.

That is why everyone is lined up except the Conservatives. What is wrong with their ideological approach? They should get rid of it and start thinking pragmatically about what is important for Canada. When they do that, the industry and the provinces will follow them and everyone will be extremely grateful. When you continue to stonewall proper action for the sake of the Canadian future in the energy industry and energy generally, you are doing all of us a disservice.

[The Acting Speaker, Conservative, Barry Devolin]

Order. Before I go to questions and comments, I remind all hon. members to direct their questions and comments to the Chair rather than their colleagues.

Questions and comments. The hon. member for Davenport.

[Andrew Cash, NDP, Davenport, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his eloquence in standing up for Canada on this important file. All members would agree that Canadians are generally concerned about a deal that puts a key part of our energy sector into the hands of another state. Sixty-five percent of this particular company is state-owned by China.

Surely, members on the other side have heard from constituents who are concerned. Indeed, we know that about 70% of Canadians have real concerns about this deal for a number of different reasons. Would my hon. colleague elaborate on some of the reasons why 70% of Canadians have real concerns about this deal?

[Dennis Bevington, NDP, Western Arctic, NT]

Mr. Speaker, right across the country there quite clearly has been a profound recognition over the last decade about the nature of energy. That is part of all of our psyches right now. We understand how important energy is and how much it will lead almost every issue in the future.

Now we have the situation of a country that likely will be one of the strongest economies in the future. It is moving very rapidly in that direction. It is a country that needs the resources for itself and is going around the world now making strategic investments in resources in many countries.

Without dealing with that country in a positive and strong fashion, and without laying out to that country, or any other agency, business or any other part of the industry, a very clear understanding of what they are getting into when they invest in Canada, we are really selling ourselves short.

We do not know what the Chinese will accomplish, but they will not accomplish what we want unless we lay that out clearly for everyone to understand and put some weight behind it as a country and nation the way we can and should do.

[The Acting Speaker, Conservative, Barry Devolin]

Resuming debate, the hon. member for Winnipeg Centre.

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate this opportunity to enter this debate on the NDP's opposition day motion.

We should say at the outset, in case people are just tuning in now, that the terms of this motion are simply to insist on public consultation to examine in a fulsome way the takeover deal of Nexen. This is not a debate about whether we should or should not allow the deal to go through. I have my own personal views on that, but we should be clear that we are calling for the inclusion of the public and a full examination and full due diligence of this takeover deal. That is all this debate is about.

If there is one thing we want to make clear in the context of this debate, it is that Canada is open for business but that Canada is not for sale. That must be driven home. Believe me, if there were a full and true examination and consultation, the Conservative Party would have a heck of a job convincing Canadians that it is in their best interest to have a foreign nation state buy our birthright from under our feet and pay cash on the barrelhead for our future in the energy field.

The Chinese are on a global acquisition frenzy. That is not overstating things. It is predicted that over a trillion dollars will be disgorged from China to acquire natural resources, pulp and paper mills, and whatever energy and resources they possibly can.

Believe me, it is the high profile companies like the China National Offshore Oil Corporation, CNOOC, that are interested in buying Nexen. However, it is simply one of hundreds of Chinese corporate arms of China Inc. The audacity of China Inc. in this global acquisition frenzy is astounding. Other ones include Sinopec, Chinmetals, PetroChina, the China Investment Corporation, and thousands more unknown Chinese corporations owned by lower levels of the Chinese government, which are beginning to venture abroad, gobbling up assets.

We would be naive, irresponsible and crazy not to examine this motion in a full, comprehensive way and put in place guidelines and rules to respond to this global acquisition frenzy.

We are blessed in this country with an abundance of natural resources. It is our children's future, and how it is managed and developed is critical. Therefore, it is not audacious on the part of the NDP to be calling upon the government to open the door to a public debate and consultation. Let us hear from the best minds in the country, for and against this idea. Let us put it all out there and have a national conversation on whether we do or do not approve of this particular takeover.

We have to keep in mind that this is not any ordinary foreign takeover. Here I would point out as an aside the contradiction in the Conservative Party's speaking points today. I am the critic for the Canadian Wheat Board, and the prairie members of the Conservative caucus were insistent that the Canadian Wheat Board had to be abolished because we could not have that kind of communism on the prairies in our grain marketing. That is the word they used. Behind closed doors, the Conservative prairie members referred to the Canadian Wheat Board as communism. A bunch of prairie farmers, banding together to act in their own best interests to get the best price for their grain was communism and it had to stop.

Yet the conservatives see no problem with selling our birthright in the Canadian oil sands to true communists, in fact communists with a terrible human rights record. If the Conservatives cannot see a ridiculous contradictions in their own talking points on that, then they are even thicker than I thought.

Petro-Canada had to be sold because it smacked of socialism. Even if we had the temerity to keep some control over a tiny portion of the oil industry so that we would at least know if we are being gouged by big oil, no, that had to go because it smacked of socialism if the nation state of Canada actually owned a piece of the oil industry below its feet.

Yet the Conservatives speakers I have heard today apparently see no problem with China Inc. gobbling up our children's birthright in the oil sands. I am against the deal, but I am only one voice. We should be consulting all Canadians. There should be a referendum on this kind of question.

The Conservatives laugh but they will not be laughing for long. They are talking about putting limits on foreign ownership by state owned enterprises. What is to stop 20% being owned by CNOOC and another 20% being owned by one of China Inc.'s other hundreds and hundreds of subsidiaries? These are not democratically elected boards of directors. They are appointed by dictatorships to act in their own best interests. I wish them good luck in trying to instill the best interests of Canadians into the board of directors of a Communist Chinese company. I do not know how they can live with the glaring contradiction in their own arguments and talking points. It drives me crazy.

We have lost virtually all of our manufacturing jobs to China. I used to have 43 garment manufacturers in my riding. I have only been an MP for 15 years. When I was first elected, there were 43 garment manufacturers in my riding and some of them had 1,500 employees. It was a huge burgeoning industry. Do members know how many there are left? There are three and only one of them actually produces any clothing. The rest of the work is now in China.

We comforted ourselves by saying that our kids will not want to work in those industries anyway, so we will let the Chinese have the garment industry. We have natural resources that we will develop and our high tech industry. However, guess what? China also learned high tech pretty good and has those jobs too. What does that leave us with? It leave us with the oil patch, our natural resources. Now we are going to let the nation state of China come in and buy up our natural resources as well? I call it economic treason. I accuse anybody who considers allowing this deal of economic treason.

[The Acting Speaker, Conservative, Barry Devolin]

The time for government orders has expired. The hon. member for Winnipeg Centre will have three minutes remaining when the House returns to this matter after question period.

Ahuntsic Braves

[Maria Mourani, Bloc, Ahuntsic, QC]

Mr. Speaker, on September 2, 2012, the Ahuntsic Braves, our boys U16 AAA team, won the Quebec Cup of the Quebec Elite Soccer League. On their road to victory, in the final, they faced the proud team from Saint-Eustache, who played magnificently.

Thus, the Braves will represent not only Ahuntsic, but all of Quebec at the Canadian tournament, which is being held in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, from October 3 to 8.

It has been a long road to success, but the team's efforts have paid off. Congratulations to our champions, their coaches and their families. So, Mr. Speaker, what are all Quebeckers saying here today? Go, Braves, go!

World Sight Day

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Oak Ridges—Markham, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the launch of World Sight Day 2012.

On October 11, eyesight related organizations throughout Canada will be joining forces to draw attention to the global issue of avoidable blindness.

In Canada, more than 4.25 million people, nearly one in eight, are living with some form of eye disease, leaving them at risk for partial or complete blindness.

Each year, more than 45,000 Canadians lose their vision at a cost of $15.8 billion to Canadian taxpayers and yet 80% of blindness is avoidable.

With one person in the world losing their sight every five seconds and one child every minute, Canada has a responsibility to play a leadership role in reversing this trend at home and abroad.

Thanks to the efforts of volunteer organizations like CNIB that support international initiatives such as VISION 2020, Canada is vigorously leading the way.

Bilingualism

[Alexandrine Latendresse, NDP, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Canada is a progressive, open, fair and good country at its core. What has far too often been described by some as the two solitudes can also be the two solicitudes.

That was Jack Layton's vision, and I share that vision.

I strongly believe that this feeling is shared across Canada: that all things considered we have more in common than we have things that separate us.

Jack's motto is a strong Canadian motto: Travaillons ensemble!

And the French language, the first European language of this country, is an integral part of what defines us.

I introduced Bill C-419 to require officers of Parliament to be bilingual. These women and men are the ultimate resources in the machinery of government and, as such, they should be able to understand both complementary parts of this Confederation.

I hope that we can count on the support of the government, but especially on that of the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages and all members from Quebec, who will be able to show their love of bilingualism and their support for the progressive values that make our Confederation the envy of the world.

National Seniors Day

[Rick Norlock, Conservative, Northumberland—Quinte West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, we celebrated National Seniors Day, an occasion to honour those who make our country the best in the world.

Recently, our office held a successful seniors information day in co-operation with Trenton Seniors Club 105. We were fortunate to have the Minister of State for Seniors join us. The purpose of this event was to inform seniors, as well as caregivers and families, of some of the many services available that cater specifically to the needs of our seniors.

Our riding of Northumberland--Quinte West has been honoured with many new horizons for seniors fund applications over the past year.

Initiatives, like the new horizons for seniors program, are helping to ensure that seniors stay active, engaged and informed to continue as participating members of their communities.

I would like to take this time to personally recognize all of the seniors in Northumberland--Quinte West, as well as across this great country, and extend personal thanks for their many invaluable contributions.