Hon. Pat Carney (Minister for International Trade):

Mr. Speaker, I know that the Right Hon. Member would not knowingly mislead the House on this issue, but he knows that that is not what Sam Gibbons, the head of the House of Representatives' committee, said. He said that there was no need for an exemption because there was no threat to Canada in the Trade Bill.

Hon. Pat Carney (Minister for International Trade):

Mr. Speaker, I think the House will acknowledge that all statements made by the Minister of Transport are bold and courageous.

May I respond to the issue the Hon. Member raises about postponing our reply to the GATT and remind him of what he should already know, that on the fisheries issues we have already postponed it in the past two meetings of the council? May I remind him that with respect to the liquor board practices, that dispute, which is a rancorous dispute, has already lasted for three years? May I point out to the Hon. Member that there is nothing to be gained by being a spoilsport and deciding that we will only accept those cases where we win and will reject those cases where we lose? That is the position of the opposition Parties.

Hon. Pat Carney (Minister for International Trade):

Mr. Speaker, as I have pointed out to you on many occasions in this House, the free trade agreement with the United States, in Part I, Chapter 1, Article 101 reads:

The Government of Canada and the Government of the United States of

America, consistent with Article XXIV of the General Agreement on Tariffs

and Trade, hereby establish a free-trade area.

I keep pointing out in this House, but the Opposition does not hear me, that the free trade agreement is negotiated under the umbrella of the GATT and is consistent with the GATT. Therefore, the Opposition's continuous insistence that with the free trade agreement we have somehow abandoned the GATT is simply false. I would like the Opposition to state where it is on this issue.

We are bringing in landing requirements that will increase the management and the conservation of the fisheries. We are going to be doing it on a national basis. This will safeguard jobs and it will allow Canadian processors access to American fish in Alaska, as they now enjoy. If the Opposition is against that position, I want to hear it say so.

Hon. Pat Carney (Minister for International Trade):

Mr. Speaker, I would suggest that the only thing devastating about today's announcement is the devastating ignorance of the Official Opposition about the West Coast fishery.

May I point out that not only do Fisheries Ministers and First Ministers endorse the landing requirements, but the Fisheries Council of British Columbia, with whom we have been working on this issue, is positive about the announcement we made today. So I can assure the Hon. Member that the measures we have taken today will be improving the fishery and will be safeguarding the jobs in the fishery.

Hon. Pat Carney (Minister for International Trade):

Mr. Speaker, it is clear I know a lot more about the British Columbia fishery than does the Hon. Member.