Mr. Speaker, recently our Prime Minister announced that Canada and South Korea have concluded negotiations on a new free trade agreement. The opportunity to access such a large market, with a fair playing field, was welcome news to value-added wood producers, winery owners, and others in my riding of Okanagan—Coquihalla. It was also welcome news to the Premier of British Columbia, who said, “The news today from the Prime Minister and the federal government on the Korea-Canada trade deal is great news for all British Columbians”.
Even more surprising was the response from the British Columbia NDP. What did the B.C. NDP say about this free trade deal? It said, “We look forward to the expansion of trade with South Korea and the future of shared economic prosperity it will bring us here in British Columbia”.
No, that was not an April Fool's joke. If the B.C. NDP can figure out the opportunity for prosperity in our government's free trade agenda, I submit that there might be hope for the NDP in this place.