House of Commons photoWon her last election, in 2025, with 64% of the vote.
Business of Supply May 17th, 2017
Madam Chair, I very much share the member's view that Canada and Canadians benefit from a border that is thin, a border that is easily crossed, a border that has very strong infrastructure. Our government is absolutely committed to building infrastructure and working in partnership with our American allies to facilitate crossing of the border, and I discussed that at some length yesterday and the day before in Washington.
Business of Supply May 17th, 2017
Madam Chair, this gives me a chance to go back to the labour point, and I think the fact that Canada has now committed to ratifying this final ILO convention is a moment worth celebrating. That is something that we can support together, and it does show our government's commitment to labour rights and international obligations.
Business of Supply May 17th, 2017
Madam Chair, I have, for a long time, been clear that there are significant issues with ISDS provisions in many trade agreements, and the Canadian experience shows that. Having said that, when it comes to specific negotiating goals, we are going to keep our powder dry, just to the point—
Business of Supply May 17th, 2017
Madam Chair, let me start with chapter 19. This is a very important chapter for Canada. We have all spoken a lot about softwood lumber, and the chapter 19 tribunals are a very important place for Canadian companies to establish their rights. That is going to be a strong Canadian position now and going forward.
Business of Supply May 17th, 2017
Madam Chair, I would like to very sincerely thank the member opposite for raising the issue of the energy ratchet clause. That is something I have been looking at closely with my officials. If and when NAFTA negotiations begin, I think that is certainly something—
Business of Supply May 17th, 2017
Madam Chair, the NAFTA negotiations have not yet begun, and the 90-day clock has not started. I am very clear that I am not going to put all of Canada's cards on the table at this early moment, but I do want to assure the member opposite, and all Canadians, that I am very committed to strengthening—
Business of Supply May 17th, 2017
Madam Chair, I promised myself earlier today, when the member for Essex introduced me to her parents, who are here, that I would recognize them. There may not be that many Canadians watching us tonight, but I bet those two Canadians are and are very proud of their daughter.
Our government strongly believes in a progressive trade agenda that very much includes environmental and labour rights and also women's rights. That is something we have been advancing in all our trade agreements. I see some real opportunities in NAFTA modernization to raise the environmental and labour standards.
Business of Supply May 17th, 2017
Mr. Chair, I would like to start by thanking the member for New Brunswick Southwest for her very hard work. I would like to tell her, through you, Mr. Chair, something I have not told her directly. Her story about the very close cross-border integration in her community is one I shared just yesterday with Senator Susan Collins of Maine. She told me that she grew up 20 miles from the Canadian border and is also very familiar with towns where hospitals, fire departments, and schools are shared across the border. That is a very important story about the Canada-U.S. relationship, and I really want to thank the member for telling that story so eloquently.
When it comes to NAFTA, as the member said, it is indeed good practice in trade to update and modernize trade agreements. We are currently in the midst of updating our trade agreements with Chile, with Israel, and with the EFTA countries. It is simply what is done. In fact, when it comes to NAFTA, by our count, there have been 11 significant modifications to this very important agreement since it first entered into force, so we very much welcome the opportunity to modernize the agreement. As the member suggested, the whole e-commerce Internet space is certainly one area ripe for some positive advances.
Business of Supply May 17th, 2017
Mr. Chair, the member for Prince Albert and I are friends and share a great interest in many things, including agriculture of the prairie provinces. I do not mind at all if he addresses me directly. I know those are not the rules.
I am, though, a bit surprised that the member opposite, particularly in the presence of his colleague, the member for Niagara West, some great wine country, would seem to be arguing the case for foreign wine producers against our own domestic industry.
Canada is a very open market when it comes to the sale of imported wines here. We are a terrific market for the United States. With CETA, we will be an even better market than we are today for Europe. Our foreign partners have no cause for complaint.
I am very proud of the great wines produced in Canada, and those are the ones I prefer to drink.
Business of Supply May 17th, 2017
Mr. Chair, as the member opposite knows well, it is up to the Department of Commerce how it chooses to make its assessments. The Department of Commerce chooses which companies to assess and also chooses which companies' requests for a voluntary submission to accept.
I am pleased the Department of Commerce accepted Irving's request for a voluntary submission. As the member opposite suggests, the very low rate at which commerce has assessed Irving is an argument that I absolutely have been using in pointing out that even by the judgment of commerce, there is really no fare there for the U.S. to protest.