SHORT TITLE

Marginal note:Short title

1. This Act may be cited as the Canada–Colombia Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act.

INTERPRETATION

Marginal note:Definitions

2. The definitions in this section apply in this Act.

“Agreement”

« Accord »

“Agreement” means the Free Trade Agreement between Canada and the Republic of Colombia, signed on November 21, 2008.

“federal law”

« texte législatif fédéral »

“federal law” means the whole or any portion of an Act of Parliament or a regulation, order or other instrument issued, made or established in the exercise of a power conferred by or under an Act of Parliament.

“Joint Commission”

« Commission mixte »

“Joint Commission” means the Joint Commission established under Article 2001 of the Agreement.

“Minister”

« ministre »

“Minister” means the Minister for International Trade.

“related agreement”

« accord connexe »

“related agreement” means

• (a) the Agreement on the Environment between Canada and the Republic of Colombia, signed on November 21, 2008; or

• (b) the Agreement on Labour Cooperation between Canada and the Republic of Colombia, signed on November 21, 2008.

Marginal note:Interpretation consistent with agreements

3. For greater certainty, this Act and any federal law that implements a provision of the Agreement or a related agreement or fulfils an obligation of the Government of Canada under the Agreement or a related agreement is to be interpreted in a manner consistent with the Agreement or related agreement, as the case may be.

Marginal note:Non-application of Act or Agreement to water

4. For greater certainty, nothing in this Act or the Agreement applies to natural surface or ground water in liquid, gaseous or solid state.

Marginal note:Construction

5. For greater certainty, nothing in this Act, by specific mention or omission, is to be construed to affect in any manner the right of Parliament to enact legislation to implement any provision of the Agreement or a related agreement or fulfil any of the obligations of the Government of Canada under the Agreement or a related agreement.

HER MAJESTY

Marginal note:Binding on Her Majesty

6. This Act is binding on Her Majesty in right of Canada.

PURPOSE

Marginal note:Purpose

7. The purpose of this Act is to implement the Agreement and the related agreements, the objectives of which, as elaborated more specifically through their provisions, are to

• (a) establish a free trade area in accordance with the Agreement;

• (b) promote, through the expansion of reciprocal trade, the harmonious development of the economic relations between Canada and the Republic of Colombia in order to foster, in Canada and in Colombia, the advancement of economic activity;

• (c) provide fair conditions of competition affecting trade between Canada and the Republic of Colombia;

• (d) substantially increase investment opportunities in Canada and the Republic of Colombia;

• (e) contribute, by the removal of barriers to trade, to the harmonious development and expansion of world trade;

• (f) enhance and enforce environmental laws and regulations and strengthen cooperation on environmental matters;

• (g) protect, enhance and enforce basic workers’ rights, strengthen cooperation and build on the respective international commitments of Canada and the Republic of Colombia on labour matters; and

• (h) promote sustainable development.

CAUSES OF ACTION

Marginal note:Causes of action under Part 1

• 8. (1) No person has any cause of action and no proceedings of any kind shall be taken, without the consent of the Attorney General of Canada, to enforce or determine any right or obligation that is claimed or arises solely under or by virtue of Part 1 or an order made under that Part.

• Marginal note:Causes of action under the Agreement or a related agreement

  (2) Subject to Section B of Chapter Eight of the Agreement and Part Three and Annex 4 of the Agreement on Labour Cooperation between Canada and the Republic of Colombia, signed on November 21, 2008, no person has any cause of action and no proceedings of any kind shall be taken, without the consent of the Attorney General of Canada, to enforce or determine any right or obligation that is claimed or arises solely under or by virtue of the Agreement or a related agreement.

PART 1IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AGREEMENT AND THE RELATED AGREEMENTS

Approval

Marginal note:Agreements approved

9. The Agreement and the related agreements are approved.

Administrative and Institutional Provisions

Marginal note:Canadian representative on Joint Commission

10. The Minister is the principal representative of Canada on the Joint Commission.

Marginal note:Payment of expenditures

11. The Government of Canada shall pay its appropriate share of the aggregate of any expenditures incurred by or on behalf of the Joint Commission.

Panels, Committees, Subcommittees and Working Groups

Marginal note:Powers of Minister

12. The Minister may

• (a) appoint any person to be a representative of Canada on any committee or subcommittee referred to in Annex 2001 of the Agreement;

• (b) appoint any person to be a panelist in accordance with Article 2108 of the Agreement; and

• (c) propose candidates to serve as the chair of panels in accordance with that Article.

Marginal note:Administrative support

13. The Minister shall designate an agency, division or branch of the Government of Canada to facilitate the operation of Chapter Twenty-one of the Agreement and to provide administrative assistance to panels established under that Chapter.

Marginal note:Payment of costs

14. The Government of Canada shall pay the costs of or its appropriate share of the costs of

• (a) the remuneration and expenses payable to members of panels, committees, subcommittees and working groups and to the assistants of panel members; and

• (b) the general expenses incurred by panels, committees, subcommittees and working groups.

Orders

Marginal note:Orders re Article 2114

• 15. (1) The Governor in Council may, for the purpose of suspending benefits in accordance with Article 2114 of the Agreement, by order, do any one or more of the following:

  • (a) suspend rights or privileges granted by Canada to the Republic of Colombia or to goods of the Republic of Colombia under the Agreement or any federal law;

  • (b) modify or suspend the application of any federal law, with respect to the Republic of Colombia or to goods of the Republic of Colombia;

  • (c) extend the application of any federal law to the Republic of Colombia or to goods of the Republic of Colombia; and

  • (d) take any other measure that the Governor in Council considers necessary for that purpose.

• Marginal note:Period of order

  (2) Unless repealed, an order made under subsection (1) has effect for the period specified in the order.

Report

Marginal note:Report

15.1 Pursuant to the Agreement Concerning Annual Reports on Human Rights and Free Trade Between Canada and the Republic of Colombia, the Minister shall cause to be laid before each House of Parliament by May 15 of each year or, if that House is not then sitting, on any of the 30 days next thereafter that it is sitting, a report on the operation of this Act during the previous calendar year, containing a general summary of all actions taken under the authority of this Act, and an analysis of the impact of these actions on human rights in Canada and the Republic of Colombia.

PART 2RELATED AMENDMENTS

R.S., c. 47 (4th Supp.)Canadian International Trade Tribunal Act

• 16. (1) Section 2 of the Canadian International Trade Tribunal Act is amended by adding the following after subsection (3):

  • Definition of “Colombia Tariff”

    (3.1) In this Act, “Colombia Tariff” means the rates of customs duty referred to in section 49.01 of the Customs Tariff.

• Marginal note:2009, c. 16, s. 56(3)

  (2) Subsection 2(5) of the Act is replaced by the following:

  • Marginal note:Goods imported from an EFTA state, a NAFTA country, Chile, Costa Rica, Peru or Colombia

    (5) For the purposes of this Act, goods are imported from an EFTA state, from a NAFTA country, from Chile, from Costa Rica, from Peru or from Colombia if they are shipped directly to Canada from the EFTA state, the NAFTA country, Chile, Costa Rica, Peru or Colombia, as the case may be, within the meaning of sections 17 and 18 of the Customs Tariff.

17. The Act is amended by adding the following after section 19.012: