44th Parl. 1st Sess.
October 24, 2023 10:00AM
Mr. Speaker, I believe this agreement was signed in September. Of course, this is the time that we take the opportunity to hear from all sides to see the potential of this free trade agreement and if there is any room to improve it. It would be great if we can bring it forward to the standing committee and discuss it there.
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Madam Speaker, the member has to know I am going to challenge him on saying that Stephen Harper had 40-plus signed trade agreements. History and the facts will very clearly show that the member is wrong. In fact, those were agreements that were signed by this government. The bottom line is it is good. The Conservative Party supports the agreements that we actually were able to bring across the goal line and get signed. I see that as a good thing.
The trade agreement that we are debating today goes far beyond just the economic benefits for both Canada and Ukraine. At a time when we are seeing the war taking place, the illegal invasion of Russia into Ukraine, we can send a very powerful message that goes well past the economic benefits. I wonder if the member can provide his thoughts on the importance of that message, whether that is to Putin, that we are moving forward with a trade agreement with Ukraine, and that is a very positive thing for both countries.
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Madam Speaker, I would like to address the member's opening comments.
We need to put in perspective that this agreement was actually signed off on just last month, between the Prime Minister and the President of Ukraine.
Now we have the legislation before us, which was done in a relatively quick fashion. We have to put it in the context of the fact that we have an illegal invasion by Russia into Ukraine. It is a time of war, when allied countries around the world are coming to support Ukraine. There is a huge sense of Ukrainian solidarity. Canada is the first country to actually enter into a trade agreement, even in a time of war. It is there not only for the economic benefits of both Canada and Ukraine but also to send the right type of messaging to the people of Ukraine and Russia.
What are the member's thoughts on that?
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Madam Speaker, it is true that it was signed off on just last month, when President Zelenskyy visited Ottawa, but our understanding is that, in fact, the terms and conditions of that agreement were finalized much sooner. It is important for members of the government not to confuse their own communications imperatives and their desire to have nice press conferences and fancy signing ceremonies with the imperatives of a war; that does a disservice.
It seems to me that, actually, the agreement was in a position to be signed off on sooner, and then the members of the government could have followed their own policy and had the legislation in Parliament sooner. We can honour the imperatives of the war without taking seriously the government's own communication strategy.
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Madam Speaker, we have heard a great number of members talk about how important the trade agreement is from the perspective of what is taking place today in Europe, which is the war and the illegal occupation of Russia in Ukraine. We have seen a united front on that. On September 22, the President of Ukraine was here, and President Zelenskyy signed this trade agreement. Today we are debating the trade agreement.
My question to the member is something I posed to other members of his caucus. Given the very nature of this particular trade agreement, which has many economic benefits for both Canada and Ukraine, would he provide his thoughts on the powerful message this would send if it were to pass before Christmas? It would be the first trade agreement for Ukraine since the war has begun.
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Madam Speaker, my good friend from the Bloc Québécois highlighted a really important point about what we are going through right now. Again, the bill is 700 pages, in addition to what happened in 2017 when the initial agreement was signed. Depending on what happens here in the House, this will hopefully come before the international trade committee, which I sit on. I am looking forward to going through it line by line because, ultimately, this is important for Canadians and for the country of Ukraine.
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Mr. Speaker, my understanding is that, yes, the agreement was negotiated in April, but it was not signed until September. It was just signed, and here we are in October with the legislation.
Should we always look for opportunities to be faster at things? Absolutely, but I would not, by any means, say this has been a slow process.
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