Mr. Speaker, Canada remains deeply alarmed by the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza. An immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages and the resumption of unhindered United Nations-led humanitarian aid must be secured to alleviate this crisis. Canada is committed to supporting efforts to advance progress towards the two-state solution, the only pathway to enduring peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians.
The Canada-Israel Free Trade Agreement, 1997, Canada’s first free trade agreement outside of North America, was modernized in 2019 to expand market access in Israel for Canadian companies and to include progressive provisions on gender, small and medium-sized enterprises, corporate social responsibility, labour and the environment. Palestinian exports to Canada also benefit from preferential treatment under the agreement. The Canada-Israel Strategic Partnership Memorandum of Understanding was announced in 2014 and covers an array of areas of bilateral co-operation.
With regard to (a), the Canada-Israel Free Trade Agreement allows the parties to undertake a review of the agreement within five years of its entry into force and periodically thereafter as the parties decide. To date, neither party has requested to undertake a review of the agreement. Per the terms of the strategic partnership memorandum of understanding, Canada and Israel will review annually, during the political consultations process, the progress made in achieving the desired goals and benchmarks set out in the memorandum of understanding. Canada and Israel will also conduct a comprehensive review of the memorandum of understanding every five years.
With regard to (b), with respect to the Canada-Israel Free Trade Agreement, the agreement is not prescriptive about the review process or the specific personnel involved in the process for each side. Participants and procedures would be determined by the parties to the agreement, Canada and Israel, on a case-by-case basis. Review of the Canada-Israel Strategic Partnership Memorandum of Understanding involves officials from both countries.
With regard to (c), the Canada-Israel Free Trade Agreement is not prescriptive with regard to the directorates, sectors or branches of the governments that would be involved in a review of the agreement. Specific actors involved in the review process would be identified by the parties upon notification of a request for review by either party. For Canada, any review would be led by Global Affairs Canada.
With regard to (d), Global Affairs Canada has a public consultations mailbox, consultations@international.gc.ca, which remains available to receive and respond to enquiries on any trade agreement, including the Canada-Israel Free Trade Agreement, at any time. Should both parties undertake to review the agreement, methods of public consultation would be identified by each party.