David Lametti

[International Trade, November 2nd, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, CETA is clearly in Canada's national interest. It is a progressive trade deal that ensures very high standards for environmental protection, for labour, etcetera.

It is time, we believe, for all members in this House to rally around it and put partisan politics aside. All 28 member countries in the European Union have supported CETA. It is also supported by all the provinces, including Quebec. The trade committee will have a chance to look at CETA and address certain issues, but for the time being, Philippe Couillard, Premier of Quebec, has called it a historic, modern, and progressive agreement.

[2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games, November 2nd, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to welcome some notable visitors to Parliament Hill today.

First, I want to salute our Olympians and Paralympians, as we celebrate their tremendous achievements at the Rio 2016 Games. In particular, I would like to congratulate Olympian wrestler, Dori Yeats, a new constituent of LaSalle—Émard—Verdun, who has made our community very proud.

Earlier today, I was very pleased to meet students from Verdun's École secondaire Monseigneur-Richard, a public school in my riding. These students were specially selected to visit Ottawa as part of the school's odyssey program, which encourages high school students to be open to the world, strive for academic excellence, and do volunteer work in their communities. I was really impressed by these students' achievements, their civic engagement, and their excellent questions.

If they go on to become our future leaders, we will be in good hands.

[International Trade, October 28th, 2016]

Madam Speaker, our negotiating strategy has been very effective from the get-go. We have been a firm but excellent partner for the Europeans, and our European partners have acknowledged that.

As former prime minister Brian Mulroney said, “I think the prime minister and [Minister of International Trade] are doing what they should do in the circumstances.”

The recent news is all positive. However, we are taking nothing for granted. We are going to continue to work until we get this deal done.

[International Trade, October 21st, 2016]

Madam Speaker, I would remind the hon. member that this deal was dead when we took over office, and it is only because of the progressive elements that we have added to the agreement that we have come this far. We have worked hard to respond to the concerns expressed by European member states, but we are disappointed. The minister is personally disappointed and I am disappointed, after all that hard work, that the Europeans have been unable to make a decision. Even though we share similar values, even though we have been extremely patient, even though we have been flexible, there is no agreement yet on the table.

[Mining Industry, October 18th, 2016]

Madam Speaker, we are not taking a step backward.

We are going over all the options. When we look at ways to enhance Canada's approach to corporate social responsibility, we have a lot of tools available to us.

We are thinking about the 150 Canadian trade offices abroad, facilitating dialogue for conflict resolution, fostering the environment for responsible business practices, and promoting recognized corporate social responsibility policies, including the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, and the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative.

We have a corporate social responsibility framework in place, as well as two dispute resolution mechanisms offered through Canada's National Contact Point and the extractive sector corporate social responsibility counsellor.

Canada is taking action. We will continue to assess the situation and work on improving it.

[Mining Industry, October 18th, 2016]

Madam Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his question and his interest in this very important issue, which is sure to become even more important during our term.

Inclusive economic growth that benefits everyone is a priority for Canada, and we expect our businesses operating abroad to do so in a responsible manner, while respecting human rights and all applicable laws, as well as in a manner that is environmentally sound and socially responsible. Canada committed to corporate social responsibility quite some time ago, particularly through our efforts to develop and advance international recognized standards for corporate responsibility. This includes our efforts with the OECD.

We understand that how our companies do business abroad has a profound impact on Canada's reputation. Canadian businesses operating abroad must show leadership when it comes to developing responsible international business practices for the well-being of the inhabitants of the planet. In that regard, the Canadian extractive industry plays a pivotal role. The fact that Canadian mining companies operate all over the globe means there is considerable potential for them to demonstrate responsible practices. Those practices could be a key to improving the lives of people and communities.

We made it clear that all companies must reflect Canadian values in their conduct abroad. Nevertheless, we recognize that companies and communities sometimes need help to make sure that projects are good for both the company and the people. Our government is evaluating the role of the Extractive Sector Corporate Social Responsibility Counsellor and looking for ways to strengthen it. We are giving a lot of thought to mechanisms that will support Canada's demonstrable and practical global leadership in corporate social responsibility.

We must remember that Canada's existing corporate social responsibility framework is based on advancement of recognized international standards; on building networks and partnerships with stakeholders; and on facilitating dispute resolution between Canadian mining sector companies and those affected by their operations abroad.

On that last point, we need to talk about the two dispute resolution mechanisms currently in place. The first is through Canada's National Contact Point, which was set up in 2000 as part of our commitment to the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and can be used in all sectors. The second is the Extractive Sector Corporate Social Responsibility Counsellor, a role created as part of Canada's corporate social responsibility strategy for the extractive sector abroad.

With this in mind, the government is currently reviewing its approach to corporate social responsibility in an international context while actively listening to civil society and companies operating abroad.

We remain committed to showing real international leadership on this issue.

[Food and Drugs Act, October 18th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I am afraid I do not have the answer at the tip of my tongue. We have worked with the various ministries, including the Minister of the Environment, who deal with hazardous goods. Again, they have given us assurances, but I would be happy to look into the question and get back to the hon. member.

[Food and Drugs Act, October 18th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I will not focus my answer on large enterprises, because they have the means to familiarize themselves with trade rules and to get all the help they need through customs, customs brokers, etc. What I think this bill would really help are the small and medium-sized enterprises who perhaps do not have the means. The bill would facilitate the movement of goods and services and allow them to conceive of the possibility of trade.

Hopefully, we as a government will be able to promote the possibilities that become available under this agreement and take away the fear of trading by removing some of the stickiness involved in moving goods and services across border.

[Food and Drugs Act, October 18th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, it is my understanding that those goods are prohibited, period, and they are not caught or saved in any way by this legislation.

[Food and Drugs Act, October 18th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for her work on the committee.

Indeed, I can only repeat the assurances we got from the various ministries involved to say that any products that come into Canada for re-export that are caught under this bill will not put Canadians in danger. They will not put any sector of our environment or any sector of our society in danger.