Discussion · Government Orders
Kevin Lamoureux Liberal
“Our government does have a trade plan. We made trade deals with England and Indonesia, and we are working on deals with India and the Philippines. Our trade with the United States went up this year. We are making trade deals that help Canadians.”
“Madam Speaker, the member talked a great deal about the lack of a strategy on the issue of trade. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth. The member would know that. For example, the Prime Minister and this government made a commitment to look at export opportunities that go beyond the Canada-U.S.A. border. We have some 20 agreements related to trade and defence. We have passed legislation on trade agreements with Northern Ireland, England and Indonesia. We are actually in negotiations on trade agreements with the Philippines and India. We have a Prime Minister who has been very proactive in promoting Canadian exports. Contrary to what the member implied, in the first quarter, we had a net increase in trade between the United States and Canada. We are going to negotiate the best deal. It will be one that is in Canadians’ best interests. The trade agreement will not necessarily be in the interests of the Conservatives or the Bloc, but it will be in Canadians’ best interests. I wonder if the member sees the holistic approach we are taking and sees it as a strategy.”
Madam Speaker, the member talked a great deal about the lack of a strategy on the issue of trade. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth. The member would know that. For example, the Prime Minister and this government made a commitment to look at export opportunities that go beyond the Canada-U.S.A. border. We have some 20 agreements related to trade and defence. We have passed legislation on trade agreements with Northern Ireland, England and Indonesia. We are actually in negotiations on trade agreements with the Philippines and India. We have a Prime Minister who has been very proactive in promoting Canadian exports. Contrary to what the member implied, in the first quarter, we had a net increase in trade between the United States and Canada. We are going to negotiate the best deal. It will be one that is in Canadians’ best interests. The trade agreement will not necessarily be in the interests of the Conservatives or the Bloc, but it will be in Canadians’ best interests. I wonder if the member sees the holistic approach we are taking and sees it as a strategy.