Speech (House debate)

{
    "time": "2010-03-10 18:45:00",
    "attribution": {
        "en": "Mr. Mike Lake (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry, CPC)",
        "fr": ""
    },
    "content": {
        "en": "<p data-HoCid=\"1803482\" data-originallang=\"en\">Madam Speaker, I am pleased to rise in my place to respond to the concerns expressed by the hon. member for <a data-HoCid=\"128491\" href=\"/politicians/brian-masse/\" title=\"Brian Masse\">Windsor West</a> regarding investment in Canada and its impact on the Canadian economy.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1803483\" data-originallang=\"en\">In the original question, the hon. member claims that we are selling our companies to foreign speculators. Let me remind him that based on recent StatsCan data, many Canadian investors buy foreign-owned companies. In fact, over the past several years, Canadian companies invested more abroad than foreign companies have invested in Canada. In 2008 foreign-direct investments in Canada reached $505 billion, while Canadian investments abroad reached $637 billion.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1803484\" data-originallang=\"en\">Erecting barriers and restricting entry into the Canadian economy is not an approach that will ready Canada for the challenges ahead. In order to ensure that Canadian firms prosper domestically and continue to have access to investment opportunities abroad, it is important to adopt policies that encourage trade and investment. Investment, innovation and adaptation fostered by openness and competition are the primary drivers of productivity growth of our nation. Our ability to make the best use of our resources will determine our capacity toward improving Canada's standard of living.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1803485\" data-originallang=\"en\">We live in an era of economic globalization, characterized by new, enabling information and communication technologies, a substantial decrease in transportation costs, and an increasing number of countries open to trade and investment. Canadians need to adapt to a global market and take advantage of each opportunity, including deriving benefits from foreign investment.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1803486\" data-originallang=\"en\">There is no doubt that foreign investment is important for Canada's economy, as foreign companies introduce new technologies, ideas and skills, as well as new capital investment into our economy. A high level of investment from abroad is a signal that investors view Canada as a good place in which to do business. It also indicates that our business culture is open to new ideas, skills and leading-edge practices, and it is a vote of confidence in the business environment and the quality of the country's businesses.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1803487\" data-originallang=\"en\">Canada's economic success will be determined by how well we deal with the forces that are driving globalization. The hon. member for <a data-HoCid=\"128491\" href=\"/politicians/brian-masse/\" title=\"Brian Masse\">Windsor West</a> is proposing more protectionism and suggesting that we close our economy to foreign investment and turn our back to potential opportunities for growth. This is not a viable option in a globalized world. Following such an approach will harm our ability to compete worldwide and hurt Canada's economic growth. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1803488\" data-originallang=\"en\">It is almost universally known that openness to international trade allows both citizens and firms to enjoy the benefits of competition and choice. We cannot turn back the clock. We must look forward. The government is proposing more openness to trade and investment. This will create more opportunities for our companies to access worldwide markets and provide Canadians with more and innovative new products and lower prices.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1803489\" data-originallang=\"en\">In the 2010 budget, the government committed to removing the existing restrictions on foreign ownership of Canadian satellites. This will allow firms to access foreign capital and know-how, and to invest in new and advanced technologies.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1803490\" data-originallang=\"en\">In closing, foreign investment contributes positively to our economy and is critical to Canada's long-term growth and prosperity. Ultimately, these investments lead to higher living standards for Canadians through better paying jobs, more innovation, more international trade, increased domestic competition, and lower prices to consumers.</p>",
        "fr": "<p data-HoCid=\"1803482\" data-originallang=\"en\">Madame la Pr\u00e9sidente, je suis ravi de prendre la parole pour r\u00e9pondre aux pr\u00e9occupations formul\u00e9es par le d\u00e9put\u00e9 de <a data-HoCid=\"128491\" href=\"/politicians/brian-masse/\" title=\"Brian Masse\">Windsor-Ouest</a> au sujet des investissements au Canada et de leurs effets sur l'\u00e9conomie canadienne.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1803483\" data-originallang=\"en\">Dans sa question initiale, le d\u00e9put\u00e9 affirme que nous vendons nos entreprises \u00e0 des sp\u00e9culateurs \u00e9trangers. Je rappelle au d\u00e9put\u00e9 que, selon des donn\u00e9es r\u00e9centes de Statistique Canada, bon nombre d'investisseurs canadiens ach\u00e8tent des entreprises \u00e9trang\u00e8res. En fait, au cours des derni\u00e8res ann\u00e9es, les entreprises canadiennes ont investi davantage \u00e0 l'\u00e9tranger que les entreprises \u00e9trang\u00e8res n'ont investi au Canada. En 2008, les investissements \u00e9trangers directs au Canada ont totalis\u00e9 505 milliards de dollars par rapport \u00e0 637 milliards de dollars pour les investissements canadiens \u00e0 l'\u00e9tranger.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1803484\" data-originallang=\"en\">Ce n'est pas en \u00e9rigeant des barri\u00e8res et en restreignant l'acc\u00e8s \u00e0 l'\u00e9conomie canadienne que nous pr\u00e9parerons le Canada \u00e0 relever les d\u00e9fis qui se profilent \u00e0 l'horizon. Pour nous assurer que les entreprises canadiennes prosp\u00e8rent \u00e0 l'\u00e9chelle nationale et continuent d'avoir acc\u00e8s \u00e0 des occasions d'investissement \u00e0 l'\u00e9tranger, nous devons adopter des politiques qui encouragent le commerce et l'investissement. Les principaux moteurs de la croissance de la productivit\u00e9 du Canada sont l\u2019investissement, l\u2019innovation et l\u2019adaptation et ils sont aliment\u00e9s par l\u2019ouverture d\u2019esprit et la concurrence. Notre capacit\u00e9 de faire le meilleur usage possible de nos ressources d\u00e9terminera notre capacit\u00e9 d'am\u00e9liorer le niveau de vie des Canadiens.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1803485\" data-originallang=\"en\">Nous vivons \u00e0 une \u00e9poque de mondialisation o\u00f9 \u00e9mergent de nouvelles technologies de l'information et des communications, o\u00f9 le co\u00fbt du transport diminue radicalement, o\u00f9 un nombre croissant de pays s'ouvrent au commerce et aux investissements. Les Canadiens doivent s'adapter \u00e0 la mondialisation et profiter de toutes les possibilit\u00e9s qui s'offrent, y compris des avantages que procurent les investissements \u00e9trangers.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1803486\" data-originallang=\"en\">Il ne fait aucun doute que les investissements \u00e9trangers sont importants pour l'\u00e9conomie du Canada puisque les entreprises \u00e9trang\u00e8res apportent de nouvelles technologies, id\u00e9es et comp\u00e9tences en m\u00eame temps que des immobilisations dans notre \u00e9conomie. Un niveau \u00e9lev\u00e9 d'investissement \u00e9tranger signifie que les investisseurs voient le Canada comme un bon endroit o\u00f9 faire des affaires. Cela d\u00e9montre \u00e9galement que notre culture d'entreprise est ouverte \u00e0 de nouvelles id\u00e9es, comp\u00e9tences et pratiques \u00e0 la fine pointe de la technologie et t\u00e9moigne de notre confiance dans le milieu des affaires et la qualit\u00e9 des entreprises canadiennes.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1803487\" data-originallang=\"en\">Le succ\u00e8s \u00e9conomique du Canada sera d\u00e9termin\u00e9 par notre capacit\u00e9 de bien utiliser les forces qui entra\u00eenent la mondialisation. Le d\u00e9put\u00e9 de <a data-HoCid=\"128491\" href=\"/politicians/brian-masse/\" title=\"Brian Masse\">Windsor-Ouest</a> propose d'accentuer le protectionnisme et sugg\u00e8re de fermer notre \u00e9conomie aux investissements \u00e9trangers et de renoncer \u00e0 des perspectives de croissance. Cela n'est pas une option viable dans une \u00e9conomie mondialis\u00e9e. Une telle orientation nuirait \u00e0 notre capacit\u00e9 de soutenir la concurrence mondiale et nuirait \u00e0 la croissance \u00e9conomique du Canada.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1803488\" data-originallang=\"en\">Pratiquement tout le monde sait que l'ouverture au commerce international permet aux citoyens et aux entreprises de profiter de la concurrence et de l'\u00e9largissement des options. Nous ne pouvons pas revenir en arri\u00e8re. Nous devons nous tourner vers l'avenir. Le gouvernement propose davantage d'ouverture au commerce et aux investissements. Cela aidera nos entreprises \u00e0 se lancer sur les march\u00e9s mondiaux et permettra aux Canadiens d'avoir acc\u00e8s \u00e0 de nouveaux produits innovateurs et \u00e0 des produits \u00e0 meilleur prix.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1803489\" data-originallang=\"en\">Dans le budget de 2010, le gouvernement s'est engag\u00e9 \u00e0 \u00e9liminer les restrictions actuelles sur la propri\u00e9t\u00e9 \u00e9trang\u00e8re des satellites canadiens. Cela permettra \u00e0 des entreprises d'avoir acc\u00e8s \u00e0 des capitaux et \u00e0 des connaissances \u00e9trangers et d'investir dans de nouvelles technologies de pointe.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1803490\" data-originallang=\"en\">En terminant, je dirai que les investissements \u00e9trangers repr\u00e9sentent un apport positif \u00e0 notre \u00e9conomie et sont critiques pour la croissance et la prosp\u00e9rit\u00e9 \u00e0 long terme du Canada. En bout de ligne, ces investissements entra\u00eeneront une am\u00e9lioration du niveau de vie des Canadiens parce qu'ils b\u00e9n\u00e9ficieront d'emplois mieux r\u00e9mun\u00e9r\u00e9s, d'innovations, d'un commerce international renforc\u00e9, d'une concurrence int\u00e9rieure accrue et de meilleurs prix sur les produits de consommation.</p>"
    },
    "url": "/debates/2010/3/10/mike-lake-1/",
    "politician_url": "/politicians/mike-lake/",
    "politician_membership_url": "/politicians/memberships/466/",
    "procedural": false,
    "source_id": "3028780",
    "h1": {
        "en": "Adjournment Proceedings",
        "fr": ""
    },
    "h3": {
        "en": "Foreign Investment",
        "fr": ""
    },
    "document_url": "/debates/2010/3/10/",
    "related": {
        "document_speeches_url": "/speeches/?document=%2Fdebates%2F2010%2F3%2F10%2F"
    }
}