Foreign Affairs committee  You wrote a recent article on policy options. You say that Canada ought to pursue real discussions when it comes to trade, and free trade in particular, with China. You also talk about Singapore reopening negotiations with Japan on free trade. I wonder if you could speak about these particular countries, beginning with China, and the importance of moving in that direction.

Foreign Affairs committee  A number of commentators have pointed out recently, particularly in the context of the view of and approach to trade that's being seen in the United States, that Canada ought to expand its list of trading partners and move along to achieving free trade agreements with a number of other countries.

Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement Implementation Act  Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise to speak to the Canada-European Union free trade agreement. This is of course an outstanding initiative many years in the making. The reasons to support it are very simple. At the bottom line, when the study was done in advance of the commencement of negotiations on this Canada-Europe free trade agreement, the study revealed that based on the assumptions it was looking at, an agreement of this nature would deliver an annual boost to the Canadian economy of some $12 billion.

Extension of Sitting Hours  He continued: After lengthy debates...the Lords and Commons again assembled in the Painted Chamber before John of Gaunt to give answer to the financial demands which had been made of them. Speaking on behalf of the Commons Sir Peter de la Mare boldly refused to grant supplies until the nation's grievances were redressed. That was over 600 years ago, but it is still one of the cornerstones of our proud parliamentary democracy.

Business of Supply  Guess whose advice Norway followed when it did that? That was the advice of former Alberta premier Peter Lougheed. If only Albertans had followed the advice of former premier Peter Lougheed, there would be a huge amount of money to adapt to transitions. They would not have put all of their money into the bitumen basket, all of their eggs into the bitumen basket, of shipping out raw bitumen but would have followed Peter Lougheed's plan and had ancillary infrastructure for refining and upgrading.

Foreign Affairs committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you for being here today. You mentioned Mr. Donohue, the president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, who was here in February. I want to read a quote: “Let me say right up front that withdrawing from NAFTA would be devastating for the workers, businesses and economies of our...countries...”.

Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement Implementation Act  Mr. Speaker, we saw the benefits of it after the Canada-U.S. free trade agreement, and now the North American Free Trade Agreement. We saw unprecedented growth. I remember the great debate in the 1988 election when we heard how we were going to lose our culture industries, lose the CBC.

Foreign Affairs committee  Thank you both for attending. Mr. Galimberti, given your cautions about maintaining bilateral balance with the U.S. industry and your concern about the overproduction of Chinese steel, are you indirectly leading us to a suggestion that perhaps the Canada-China free trade agreement should be put on ice until completion of the renegotiation of NAFTA?

Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement Implementation Act  Mr. Speaker, the fact that we have an agreement already negotiated and in place that the U.K. is part of provides a basis for us to continue on the same terms, or to negotiate even better terms if that country leaves the European Union. This is not something I consider a negative thing but rather a positive thing.

Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement Implementation Act  Madam Speaker, I am pleased to rise in the House today to speak about CETA, the Canada-European comprehensive economic and trade agreement. I would like members to think about 500 million people, a $20 trillion economy, and the opportunity this agreement is presenting to Canada right now.

Foreign Affairs committee  I have two questions and then I'll cede the rest of my time to Mr. Aboultaif. To begin, I'd like to go beyond the bilateral and trilateral negotiations of NAFTA and get your reaction, response, and perspective on some of the words of concern and warning from the U.S. administration, from the White House, and from Congress about Canada's negotiation of, on one hand, a free trade agreement with China, which has caused great concern in the United States for several reasons, but also the TPP.

Foreign Affairs committee  Thank you very much. You mentioned twice that millions of American jobs depend on a strong trade relationship with Canada, but most Americans do not realize that. Why do you think that is? Is it a function of Canadian modesty? Have we not told our story well enough since the free trade agreement was put forward by Mr.

Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act  Mr. Speaker, I speak today in support of Bill C-31, an act to implement the free trade agreement between Canada and Ukraine. This agreement and the related legislation are part of the government's ambitious, consistent, and very progressive free trade agenda. They are part of our strong drive to get Canadian goods and services to foreign markets.

Foreign Affairs committee  Thank you very much. I have one last question, and it's for Mr. Black. Mr. Black, I wonder what you would make of arguments that suggest that Canada ought to really diversify its economy. We've heard this argument for decades, and we've pivoted in this direction, obviously, with respect to Europe and the recent CETA.

Foreign Affairs committee  You know it probably better than most. As we are engaged in exploratory talks now on free trade with China, and as that discussion continues and hopefully materializes into something much more, I wonder if you could speak to the potential for the Chinese diaspora to engage in this process and to help this process along.