International Trade committee  Thanks, Chair. Just for clarity, we have two amendments related to the last section we discussed. Which one should we be looking at?

International Trade committee  Thank you.

International Trade committee  Chair, I doubt that we'll be able to come back in the next few minutes on this. We know how complex this is. Obviously, we cannot at this stage provide recommendations on the proposed amendments. We'll have to take them back and consult with our respective experts. We will undert

International Trade committee  We're in your hands.

International Trade committee  Chair, if I may, I'll turn to my colleague from Health Canada, Mr. Flint, to respond to that.

International Trade committee  I think for this response, I'll turn to my colleague from Environment and Climate Change Canada.

International Trade committee  I have undertaken to read the specific element of article 11.8 of the TFA, and maybe I could begin to answer your questions and my colleague from Environment would add. In terms of the trade facilitation agreement, article 11.8 says as follows: “Members shall not apply technica

International Trade committee  Again, I'll turn to my colleague from Environment.

International Trade committee  That's right. It's proposed new subsection 118(1.1). We would not have the ability to comply with our article 11.8 of the trade facilitation agreement.

International Trade committee  Not with the entire package, with one specific sub-element of the trade facilitation agreement. The trade facilitation agreement requires that technical regulations should not be applied to goods in transit, and this is giving the authority to Environment Canada to exempt those p

International Trade committee  Going back to my earlier comment, Chair, if this clause is deleted, we would not be able to comply with article 11.8 of the trade facilitation agreement that deals with how we treat goods that are in transit in Canada.

International Trade committee  We would not be in compliance with that specific element of the trade facilitation agreement, and obviously we would like to be compliant with the WTO obligations.

International Trade committee  I cannot make a decision as to whether Canada ratifies the agreement or not. I'm just giving you the views on the implication of deleting that element of Bill C-13.

International Trade committee  Thank you for that question. I can't speculate on the views of other countries, but in terms of the WTO obligations that Canada enters into, we should endeavour to be compliant with the obligations. The modification proposed in Bill C-13 allows us to be compliant with this WTO a

International Trade committee  I will read you the specific element of the trade facilitation agreement in a minute, but article 11.8 of the agreement is dealing with how governments deal with goods in transit, where goods in transit are exempt from technical regulations while they are in transit, so we don't