Oral Questions: Canada-China Investment Agreement

Elizabeth May: Mr. Speaker, back in 2010, the Prime Minister said this:

In future should provincial actions cause significant legal obligations for Canada, the Government of Canada will create a mechanism so that it can reclaim moneys lost through international trade processes.

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Now that Canada is opening up a whole new area of potential claims against Canada from the Canada-China investment treaty, I would like to be updated on what the Prime Minister plans to do to claim millions back lost in arbitrations with China?

Hon. Peter Van: Mr. Speaker, I thank the leader of the Green Party for her question on this issue. It is good to see recognition that the opportunity of this agreement is to protect Canadian investors. For many years, the Liberal Party members who interestingly were asking questions about this after not having done anything to protect investors and businesses in China for some 13 years, we now have in contrast to their record an agreement in place that will protect Canadian investors, will protect their efforts to do business in China to create success, economic growth, prosperity and jobs back here at home.