International Trade committee  Thank you. We're kind of blessed with living in one of the best parts of the world, but it does have its challenges with earthquakes and tsunamis. It's forced us to actually develop those skill sets.

International Trade committee  As architects and engineers, we are the guides. We are the ones that set the drawings and set the standards that instruct how things get built. We influence a massive part of the economy. Although we're a small number, we believe our impact is huge. I believe our standards are second to none both within the regulatory world, but also with our built environment standards, public safety...the earthquake that was in Ecuador and Japan recently.

International Trade committee  Simply, you can't practise if you're not licensed. At this point, there's no agreement between Canada and Japan. If an architect is wishing to do a building in Japan, it's just not possible.

International Trade committee  Yes and no. We in the architectural profession are in a profession of ideas. Our members have great ideas, but diversity and communication and sharing of ideas is critical, I believe, to our profession. If you work in isolation, your solutions are reflective of that. If we can work in an open and collegial and professional manner such that we share those ideas, it's to the benefit of everybody—not just the profession, but the public.

International Trade committee  Not so much barriers, but opportunities. My colleagues are some of the leading designers with regard to sustainability and environmentally friendly design. That's a skill set that's lacking in a lot of countries. They would benefit greatly from the skill sets we can bring to them.

International Trade committee  An example is Japan. Mark and I went to Japan last year to meet with them to talk about an MRA, a mutual recognition agreement. They subsequently came back to us and said they would not do anything until the TPP has been ratified. That negotiation is now on hold subsequent to this process.

International Trade committee  Very much so, yes. Again, we deal with things electronically. We transfer everything electronically. I do a lot of work on the island. It is all done electronically, whether I do it from Vancouver Island or from a country overseas. It works very fluidly.

International Trade committee  No, it doesn't at all.

International Trade committee  Yes, it aided our profession greatly.

International Trade committee  Oh, yes, that's critical. That's what we like to do. Those are our skill sets. That's what we're providing, so the ability to maintain that ownership is critical.

International Trade committee  Yes. Many of our members are already working overseas. This only aids that and increases the markets that are available. Again, as I mentioned earlier, we have a skill set that's highly valued around the world, and to be able to have the opportunity to design overseas is... every architect would love to do it.

International Trade committee  The TPP mentions the APEC architect project, so it's actually complementary to it. We aren't very active with that project. We hosted the APEC summit here in Vancouver in 2014. Mark and I are going to Malaysia in the fall of this year. It's actually complementary. It helps us.

International Trade committee  It's critical. Again, we believe that we have a very strong skill set in our members and would benefit greatly by having that fair opportunity across other countries. The existing MRAs that we have show the benefit of it. As I mentioned, the TPP would allow us to negotiate with some countries that we haven't been able to so far.

International Trade committee  That is correct. With those MRAs, you can gain licensure in those jurisdictions. There is full reciprocity. As an example, in Singapore, you can get a licence, but you can't submit a building permit unless you have residency. Then you are basically hooped. The TPP would remove that, so you would have full, unfettered reciprocity between the two countries.

International Trade committee  I'll jump ahead. The TPP in place would facilitate us in negotiating more of these MRAs. Last year we had discussions with Japan, and subsequently they've indicated they would only move forward with the MRA once the TPP has been ratified. We also have had negotiations with Singapore, but Singapore has a restrictive residence requirement, and we believe that with article 10.6 that residence requirements will not be applicable.