International Trade committee  I don't know what your expectations are. I think being at the table is better than not being at the table. I suspect that an agreement with Korea or Japan is obviously a difficult thing to agree to. I can imagine some of the issues that are on the table that Canada has to deal with in that regard, so the fact that we're still talking, the fact that there is optimism that these agreements will be put in place, is an awfully good sign from our perspective.

International Trade committee  I will try. On goods and services and future trade agreements, we talked about investment services, financial services, access, temporary entry and labour, and government procurement contracts.

International Trade committee  I think Canada has a strong service sector regardless of free trade agreements. I work in a building not far from here. It has 12 floors, 75% of the tenants are in the mining sector, and not one of them has a business in British Columbia. They are service industries to the mining sector around the world.

International Trade committee  Well, I think it's better to be there than not to be there, and I think it's important that Canada be a party to the final—

International Trade committee  I can't comment, because I think, as I said earlier, we're not sure what the agreements were that went on in the earlier years. Certainly, Canada's track record in terms of completing trade agreements on behalf of Canada has been exemplary. I think from that perspective to walk in at this point—

International Trade committee  Continue doing what you're doing. There is a significant effort within the federal government, whether it's through Western Diversification or other ministries that are involved, Industry Canada, International Trade. We perhaps need more information flowing back to us with respect to some of the specific benefits that are accruing for us in various parts of the world, so that we in turn can be players in that discussion perhaps more than we are.

International Trade committee  That would be our message today, for sure.

International Trade committee  Yes, but so can business. I think it's an issue around certainty as much as anything. I really believe that when you have trade agreements like this that start to remove the tariffs, that remove what are in effect obstacles to trade, physical or perhaps mental, and that encourage people to engage in this kind of business, then the results will start to show.

International Trade committee  I think the EU agreement is a precursor to a good Asian agreement.

International Trade committee  In regard to the small business sector, British Columbia's business profile is about 97% businesses with 10 or fewer employees. About 40% of those are participating in some form or other of export-import, primarily with the United States. For us to succeed with trade beyond those borders would take a significant investment in development costs, training, and preparation, and also in removing some of the aura, or the scare factor, if you like, that people don't seem to want to tackle.

International Trade committee  In the British Columbia context?

International Trade committee  As I said, we're an exporting economy, and we export resources. We also import a great deal through some of the ports and other places, so it—

International Trade committee  Yes, I would endorse that thought. As an example, B.C. is a small, open, trading economy. It's been suggested that it's of a size similar to the GDP of Houston, Texas, as an example, so that puts it in perspective. We need trade to prosper and to create jobs in this province. The ability of our forest sector to meet the needs of China and to compete internationally for China's business has been amply demonstrated.

International Trade committee  Are you suggesting that those countries amount to 80% in deference to the other countries such as China, Korea, and Japan?

International Trade committee  Well, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Australia, New Zealand....