Economic Relationship between Canada and the United States committee  My short answer would be that I believe that you have tried in the past to rehabilitate the term “industrial policy”, and I think going forward the term “industrial policy” is not a dirty word.

Economic Relationship between Canada and the United States committee  I'm happy to answer that. On the sectoral agreements that Professor Dufour was discussing, I believe she was talking about GATT article 14, which means that if you have a preferential trade arrangement, including a free trade area, you cannot do it by sector. That has nothing to do with collaborative efforts on developing a semiconductor factory or in building a pipeline or a dam for generating electricity.

Economic Relationship between Canada and the United States committee  I think we need to find more common issues than just trade. We need to find the common things we care about—democracy, the environment, labour protection, human rights. Let me just say in 20 seconds that everyone needs to understand that after World War II, the trade system threw all of those things out in order to try to get the world economy started again.

Economic Relationship between Canada and the United States committee  Yes, ma'am.

Economic Relationship between Canada and the United States committee  In a quick answer, I've not studied the initial administration proposal on the infrastructure bill. I don't know what the $600 million statistic is that you cited, Mr. McKay. I will tell you that the Biden administration officials have told me that in terms of government procurement access, their estimates are that Canadian firms are open to address about $300 billion worth of U.S. federal procurement, versus U.S. entities having about $10 billion available to bid for on the Canadian side.

Economic Relationship between Canada and the United States committee  The United States has become increasingly frustrated with some of the operations of the WTO. That is a fair statement. I thank you for calling on me again, because I spoke so long the last time that I thought you never would. There are those who say the WTO is dead because the appellate process is suspended right now, but I don't think that's fair either.

Economic Relationship between Canada and the United States committee  Absolutely. To riff off something Ms. MacEwen would say, many of us who believe in international trade also believe that localization is very important and that North American trade is more important than distant trade, so we should be fostering that.

Economic Relationship between Canada and the United States committee  Yes, but I think the commonality of Canada and U.S. positions in multilateral fora is long and documented. I'm just reading a book on the development of GATT, and out of all the members of the Commonwealth at the time of the development of GATT, it was Canada and the United States that were trying to convince all the other members of the Commonwealth to come along.

Economic Relationship between Canada and the United States committee  As a short answer, I think there has been very little discussion in the United States on the possible infrastructure package as it relates to environmental protection and favourable procurement for environmentally protective businesses and production methods. Personally, I certainly would like to see that.

Economic Relationship between Canada and the United States committee  Professor Dufour is welcome to answer, but my understanding of the WTO rules is that Canada can simply withdraw. It is a plurilateral agreement, not a multilateral agreement.

Economic Relationship between Canada and the United States committee  Just from the GPA. It's a plurilateral agreement, meaning that you can leave it.

Economic Relationship between Canada and the United States committee  Professor Dufour may have an opinion. My view would be that you should be brave and withdraw, and go back in.

Economic Relationship between Canada and the United States committee  Yes. It's not a matter of Congress appropriating additional money. All federal expenditures are subject to these buy American acts, including money that goes out to state expenditures. You are correct: it is just an executive tightening.

Economic Relationship between Canada and the United States committee  Chapter 13. Okay. To take something that Ms. MacEwen said, why not propose to the Americans that we reopen that chapter but with an environmental focus? Now, it is true, as Professor Dufour would say, that someone looking out might say, “Well, you can't do that. You have to renegotiate the whole thing.”

Economic Relationship between Canada and the United States committee  That is correct. Right now we haven't had any tightening, just a lot of analysis. There may be different levels of tightening.