CIIT Committee Meeting

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MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

Meeting No. 61

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

The Standing Committee on International Trade met at 11:04 a.m. this day, in Room 308, West Block, the Chair, Leon Benoit, presiding.

Members of the Committee present: Dean Allison, Guy André, Hon. Navdeep Bains, Leon Benoit, Ron Cannan, Serge Cardin, Peter Julian, Hon. Dominic LeBlanc, Pierre Lemieux, John Maloney, Ted Menzies and Lui Temelkovski.

Acting Members present: Brian Fitzpatrick for Dean Allison.

In attendance: Library of Parliament: Michael Holden, Analyst ; Elizabeth Kuruvila, Analyst.

Witnesses: Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade: Peter McGovern, Director General, Bilateral Commercial Relations, Asia and Americas; Ken Sunquist, Assistant Deputy Minister, Global Operations and Chief Trade Commissioner; Carmen Sylvain, Director General, Bilateral Commercial Relations (Europe, Africa and the Middle East).

Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the Committee commenced its study of Machinery of Government and the Implementation of Canada's Trade Policy.

The witnesses made statements and answered questions.

At 12:31 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 12:34 p.m., the sitting resumed.

The Committee proceeded to consider its future business.

On motion of Ted Menzies, it was agreed, — That the Committee approve a budget of $198, 427.00 for the Committee to travel to Riyadh, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sanaa and Brussels, June 3-14, 2007.

On motion of Ted Menzies, it was agreed, — That the Committee approve a budget of $167, 989.00 for the Committee to travel to Jakarta, Singapore, Hanoi and HiChi Minh June 3-14, 2007.

Peter Julian moved, — That the motion of Serge Cardin, moved on Thursday May 3, 2007, regarding the exportation of water be amended as follows:

Whereas Canada’s water resources must be protected,

Whereas NAFTA covers all services and all goods, except those that are expressly excluded and water is not excluded,

Whereas this situation poses a risk to provincial and federal laws concerning the protection of water including the prohibition of bulk water exports,

Whereas a simple agreement by exchange of letters among the governments of Canada, the United States and Mexico scpecifying that water is not covered by NAFTA must be respected by international tribunals as if it were an integral part of NAFTA,

It is moved that: Pursuant to section 108(2) of the Standing Order of the House of Commons, the Standing Committee recommend that the government quickly begin talks with its American and Mexican counterparts to exclude water from the scope of NAFTA and that adoption of this motion, and preamble, be reported to the House as soon as possible.

Debate arose thereon.

Peter Julian moved, — That the question be now put.

The Chair ruled that according to the Procedure and Practice of the House of Commons the question cannot be put.

Whereupon Guy André appealed the ruling of the Chair.

The question: “Shall the decision of the Chair be sustained?” was put and the decision was overruled.

The question on the amendment motion of Peter Julian was put and carried on division.

At 1:02 p.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.

Normand Radford
Clerk of the Committee

2007/10/19 12:51 p.m.