Canada-Panama Economic Growth and Prosperity Act  moved that the bill be read the third time and passed. Mr. Speaker, it is indeed a pleasure to rise in the House today to talk about the importance of the Canada-Panama free trade agreement. As the hon. members of the House may know, negotiations for this agreement were conclude

Foreign Affairs  Mr. Speaker, in the past few years our government has been expanding Canada's relationships within the Asia-Pacific region to create jobs and economic benefits right here at home. Today, the Prime Minister announced that he will travel next month to the Philippines and to Hong K

Foreign Investment  Mr. Speaker, the NDP had three opportunities and passed them up. I would remind the member opposite that this agreement represents a very significant step forward in protecting Canadians when they invest in China. The treaty will give Canadian investors greater confidence when

Foreign Investment  Mr. Speaker, I remind the NDP that it had three separate occasions in which it could have debated the treaty in the House. It refused to debate it. This treaty has been very well received by Canadian investors. In fact, it is fully reciprocal. It is designed to protect and promo

International Trade  Mr. Speaker, this treaty provides greater protection for Canadians against discriminatory and arbitrary practices. Despite the misinformed rhetoric of the opposition parties, the obligations of the parties are fully reciprocal. The hypocrisy of the Liberals is astounding. Not o

Foreign Investment  Mr. Speaker, it is pretty rich for the Liberals now to talk about transparency in debating this. Over 13 long, dark years of a Liberal government, they never once had a tabling policy for these kinds of treaties.

Foreign Investment  Mr. Speaker, it was our Conservative government that actually introduced the tabling policy for the House. Every single treaty gets tabled in the House for 21 days to give the opposition an opportunity to debate it. The Liberals have had four opportunities and they have not taken

Foreign Investment  Mr. Speaker, I would remind the member that the NDP has had three opportunities to debate this treaty in the House. It choose not to do so. That was its decision. Across Canada, Canadian investors have been applauding the agreement. In fact, the member should be listening to Jas

Foreign Investment  Mr. Speaker, I would remind the member opposite that this agreement represents a significant improvement in promoting Canadian investment in China. The treaty is similar to investment treaties that Canada has signed with many other countries and will provide stronger protection f

Foreign Investment  Mr. Speaker, our government has introduced an unprecedented process for tabling these kinds of international treaties in the House. That is why the Canada-China investment treaty has been tabled in the House. If opposition members wish to debate it, they have had an opportunity t

Foreign Investment  Mr. Speaker, Canadian investors have applauded this agreement. The agreement is similar to many other treaties that Canada has signed and the treaty is designed to provide a very clear set of rules under which investments and dispute resolutions take place. Sadly, the NDP's ide

International Trade  Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Lambton—Kent—Middlesex for his question and his excellent work on the trade committee. The Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreement has been a resounding success story. Since this agreement came into force, two-way merchandise trade has more than tri

Foreign Investment  Mr. Speaker, the member is quite wrong. This treaty has been very well received by Canadian businesses and is similar to many other treaties that Canada has signed with many other countries around the world. It sets out a clear set of rules under which investments—

Foreign Investment  Mr. Speaker, this treaty sets out a clear set of rules under which investments take place and under which disputes are resolved. That is progress. Sadly, the NDP and Liberal strategy is simply to undermine our efforts to grow our economy by expanding new investment opportunitie

Foreign Investment  Mr. Speaker, it is passing strange that over the last two weeks the opposition parties have had no less than four opportunities to debate this treaty in this House. They failed to do so. They had opposition days. They failed to identify this treaty as being worthy of debate. It