David Lametti

[Forestry Industry, March 10th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I understand the enthusiasm on the part of members on the other side, Mr. Speaker.

They will table a report within 100 days, which will outline the principal manner in which we will resolve this issue.

[Forestry Industry, March 10th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I am also pleased to finish the announcement, which is that the Prime Minister and President Obama have instructed their ministers to examine in an intensive fashion all the options—

[Forestry Industry, March 10th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question, because I have some good news to share.

I am pleased to announce that the Prime Minister and President Obama have indicated their interest in a long-term softwood lumber agreement. They also agreed that their ministers would examine in an intensive fashion—

[International Trade, March 9th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the treaty entitled “Agreement between the Government of Canada and the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China for the Promotion and Protection of Investments”, done at Toronto on February 10, 2016.

[International Trade, March 8th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, the government is committed to consulting widely with those who have an interest in intellectual property in Canada in the context of trade agreements.

Nothing in these agreements precludes any sort of policy with respect to pharmacare in Canada. Signing the agreement is not the same as ratifying it. On the TPP, we are doing exactly what we promised we would do during the election campaign. We told Canadians that we would take the time to listen to them and to consult widely on this deal. We have begun this process.

A government-wide approach was taken with regard to the consultations and, as I mentioned, over 200 meetings have been held. This agreement is important and Canadians must be consulted on it.

We heard arguments in favour of the TPP and we heard people's concerns about it. We will hold a proper parliamentary debate on the agreement before a decision is made about whether to ratify it.

[International Trade, March 8th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, as a trading nation, Canada's economic growth is directly linked to international trade. Our government supports free trade as a way to open markets to Canadian goods and services, grow Canadian businesses, and create good-paying jobs for the middle class.

The scope of the TPP, or trans-Pacific partnership, is significant. To restate the oft-quoted figures, the TPP encompasses 800 million people in 12 countries, with a combined GDP of US $28 trillion, covering nearly 40% of the world's economy.

Our pledge to Canadians is to ensure they are fully consulted on the outcomes of the TPP. Our job right now is to carefully review the text and continue to consult with Canadians.

The government wants to ensure that Canadians can consult on the TPP, ask questions, and share their views, to determine whether Canada's participation in this agreement is in their best interest.

To do so, the Minister of International Trade is conducting an extensive consultation process in order to give Canadians the opportunity to share their views on the agreement and on Canada's participation in it before the government makes a decision on ratifying it.

Signing the TPP is just the first step in the process and is not synonymous with ratifying it or implementing it in Canada. Signing it allows Canada to maintain its original partner status and keep all the rights and powers that this status confers. This stage also allows our government to pursue its consultations and give parliamentarians the opportunity to discuss the repercussions of the agreement on their respective regions and on the future of the country.

Furthermore, the Minister of International Trade is working closely with her colleagues whose portfolios are affected by the TPP, in order to mobilize Canadian stakeholders and gather their views. These are government-wide efforts. The Minister of Agriculture is in charge of bringing together stakeholders from the agriculture sector to discuss the TPP. The Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development is doing the same with his portfolio stakeholders. All the other ministers are making this effort.

As the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade, it is also my job to mobilize Canadians on this file.

Since November, the Government of Canada has held over 200 meetings with more than 300 national stakeholders from the provinces, territories, industry, civil society, and university think tanks. Global Affairs Canada has received more than 10,000 letters and emails as part of this consultation process over the same period.

The department will also consult Parliament. The House of Commons Standing Committee on International Trade has begun its study on the TPP.

As a knowledge-based economy, Canadians employ innovative ideas and creative thinking that become products, technologies, and services that change the way we live. The intellectual property framework, which our hon. member has noted, is an important element of any knowledge-based economy.

Canada's long-standing approach with respect to intellectual property has been to strike a balance between creators and users. I know this balance well, as I have had the privilege of teaching and conducting research on intellectual property in one of the best law faculties in Canada and the world over the last 20 years.

Over the past months, the government has heard from a range of stakeholders in different areas of intellectual property who have expressed views on TPP and IP outcomes.

We look forward to continuing these discussions. We continue to invite Canadians to tell us what their opinion is on these important issues. We continue to tell our parliamentary committee to study the issues raised by the hon. member in order to—

[International Trade, March 8th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, this issue is a priority for our government.

Our position is the same; it has not changed. We want to ensure stable, fair, and equitable access. We understand the various positions that exist across the country. We are working with our counterparts across Canada and our American partners to find a stable, fair, and equitable solution.

[International Trade, March 8th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for her question.

Yes, NAFTA is part of the framework of issues regarding the softwood lumber file. However, there are other issues across the country, whether in Quebec or British Columbia. We are aware of the issues, and we are working to ensure that we have stable, fair, and equitable access to the American market. That is what we promised and that is what we are going do.

[Forestry Industry, March 7th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for his question.

I can assure the hon. member that since being elected in October, the Prime Minister and the Minister of International Trade have taken every opportunity to move forward on this issue and inform our U.S. partners of our position in order to ensure that we will have stable access to the U.S. market.

[Forestry Industry, March 7th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for the question.

We are aware of the changes that were made to Quebec's softwood lumber system and the changes made to other systems in the country. We are in the process of building bridges and using all the means at our disposal to find a fair and equitable solution to ensure stable access to the American market.