Canadian Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs

The Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade was first established in March 1938 under the name of Committee on External Relations. Its name subsequently changed to International Relations, to Foreign Affairs and in 2006, to Foreign Affairs and International Trade.

The mandate of the Committee is to examine legislation and matters relating to foreign and Commonwealth relations, including: (1) treaties and international agreements; (2) external trade; (3) foreign aid; (4) defence; and (5) territorial and offshore matters (Rule 86(1)(h)).

In 1980 the Committee established a Subcommittee on National Defence which became a Special Committee in January 1984.

The Special Committee remained in existence until October 1989 and the Subcommittee was reconstituded in March 1992 under the name of Security and National Defence.

In April 1994, the Committee received an order of reference to monitor and report on the implementation and application of the FTA and NAFTA as well as any other related trade development.

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