International Trade committee  Let me just say that the Inmet Mining Corporation, which is a Toronto-based company, is located in Donoso, a small city in the province of Colón. They are close to that corridor. It's my understanding that they are close to the corridor, because they are close to the Coclesito area.

International Trade committee  In procurement, there are opportunities in the Panama Canal Authority, of course.

International Trade committee  The passage of this treaty is not related to the Panama Canal Authority bids, but certainly the passage of the treaty will benefit the sense of the investment.

International Trade committee  Indeed, they have changed dramatically.

International Trade committee  Laws have changed. It is not as easy for someone to open an account in Panama as it used to be. The laws comply more with the international laws against money laundering. We are trying to do our best in our institutions, in security, and we expect also to share information and have more cooperation, for instance, with Transport Canada.

International Trade committee  Yes. I had the opportunity to see the Inmet Mining Corporation in Panama. Also, as I mentioned, I visited some bed-and-breakfast hotels, little investments that some Canadians are doing in Panama. There is also the presence of Scotiabank. I don't know them. I haven't met them.

International Trade committee  Companies are happier in Panama, including Inmet, Scotiabank, and the entrepreneurs that I mentioned. Besides that, we recently approved a law so that all you Canadians could come to Panama and have your migratory papers without bureaucracy, without papers. Very soon, too, you will be able to obtain your naturalization in a very simple manner, because we are trying to attract people from your country, and people from other parts of the world as well, to come to live in my country.

International Trade committee  Do you mean with Canada?

International Trade committee  No, but I could provide you with all the information you want.

International Trade committee  Right now, no, I don't

International Trade committee  Panama is opening a policy of looking for transparency, and we wanted to be out of the list that we were on before. That's why the government created this commission to negotiate treaties with other countries as well, to comply with international standards.

International Trade committee  I don't have the exact figures right now. What I have is the list of the countries that we have signed treaties with, but I don't have an example here of exchanges of information. I could ask my authorities to give me some, if you want. I am more than happy to do so.

International Trade committee  Not here.

International Trade committee  Do you mean from Panama?

International Trade committee  Our sea products are an example. You have to keep in mind that Panama does not have an agro-industrial economy. We provide mostly services, but a small percentage of our economy has agro-industrial products. That includes, for instance, products of the sea, such as raw fish. We have a small sector that could provide seafood to Canadians.