Brian Pallister

[Portage--Lisgar, December 4th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, this past summer the constituents in my riding of Portage—Lisgar were asked to nominate the most inspirational places in the riding, the seven wonders of Portage--Lisgar, and did they ever respond. We had over 5,000 responses.

Today, I am very excited to announce the final seven wonders of Portage—Lisgar: the Thresherman's Reunion, in Austin, Manitoba; a celebration of the artistic community, the Van Gogh painting in Altona; the second largest wildlife waterfall staging area in the world, the Delta Marsh, at the south end of Lake Manitoba; the natural wonders of the Spruce Woods Provincial Park; the energy efficient windmills of St. Leon; the Fossil Discovery Centre at Morden, Manitoba; and the celebration of our veterans and the sacrifices they made, the Darlingford War Memorial.

I want to thank all those who responded and participated. I want to encourage all Canadians, and certainly all my colleagues here in the House of Commons, to visit our beautiful riding and to enjoy the spectacular beauty of these many wonders.

[International Aid, November 26th, 2007]

I spoke earlier, Mr. Speaker, about the tremendous difference we are making around the world, and the announcement this morning in Tanzania to assist families there. This government is committed as well to doubling the international aid envelope in Africa by 2010 from 2002 levels.

We are doing everything we can to ensure that effective aid is delivered around the world. We are not sitting on our hands, as some in the chamber are doing all too often. We are going out and making a difference, not just for the people here but for the people who need us around the world.

[International Aid, November 26th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to tell the House that Canada's government is making a difference and a positive one.

This morning in Tanzania the Prime Minister launched the Canadian-led initiative to save a million lives. This program will deliver basic cost effective and lifesaving health services to mothers and children in countries where the needs are greatest. The Prime Minister said this morning that we will be delivering $105 million and training over 40,000 health care workers.

This government is not sitting on its hands. It is getting positive things done, both at home and for people around the world.

[International Trade, November 23rd, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the key is the government understands we do not separate trade opportunities from human rights benefits. Human rights benefits can accrue to the people of other nations if we give them the opportunity to enter into trading relationships.

In fact, as opposed to the ideological protectionism that the member and his party demonstrate all too often, we understand that opening doors to trading opportunities around the world is a way to advance human rights successfully, and we will continue to do that.

[Youth Criminal Justice Act, November 22nd, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate the member for Edmonton—Mill Woods—Beaumont for his speech and for his efforts in the French language as well. He deserves our encouragement.

I must take exception, while I have the chance, to the reference made by the member for Scarborough—Guildwood and using the phrase “doing the job properly”. The previous government had 13 years to do the job properly. It stood quietly by while circumstances got worse in respect of juvenile violent crime.

Do the members of this House assume that this is an urban problem exclusively? I represent chiefly a rural riding. My largest community has about 13,000 people. A couple of weeks ago I concluded a 50 town tour of my riding where we gathered and listened to the concerns of constituents across the length and breadth of the riding.

The reality is that the number one issue that concerned the people of that rural part of the country was crime. It is almost unbelievable the degree to which crime has changed the fabric of rural communities, not only in my riding but from talking with other members representing rural ridings in their ridings as well.

People really felt that the number one attribute of their riding was safety and who rarely locked their doors do now. They are buying security systems and many of them are telling me that they are living in fear.

We had events this past summer, including a couple of murders. One was gang related and was one not. We had the case of a 13-year-old female driver who with a couple of friends stole a vehicle and drove into the centre of Portage la Prairie on a Sunday morning. The driver lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a family going to church. There were four people seriously injured, of course in the non-offending vehicle. These are the kinds of things that are happening. These are serious crimes and they should have serious consequences.

I want the member to address the issue of deterrents. I am curious as to why this was removed from the sentencing provisions years ago under the Liberals. Would the member address that particular issue as to how important he sees the restating of a judge's parameters on sentencing?

[Canada Elections Act, November 15th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I am a little concerned with the member's comments in the sense that in linking legitimate concerns about preserving the integrity of a voting system for the country with the allegation of targeting, which essentially was the focus of the member's rant today, I am afraid the member is doing a disservice to other members of the House, as well as to those who expressed legitimate concerns about the issue of burkas in voting booths, including her own leader who expressed support for the concept of addressing this issue to the Canadian people.

I would like the member to assure this House that she is not attempting to impugn the intentions of her own leader today in her remarks.

[Canada Elections Act, November 15th, 2007]

And the Liberals used it against John Tory in the provincial campaign.

[Business of Supply, November 13th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member raises the question of measures that have been undertaken by this government, and I could list a few. Certainly the $70 million older worker adjustment program, of which the province of Quebec has benefited to the tune of approximately $30 million, has assisted in a real way in bridging older workers either to retirement or other options they may choose to pursue.

Unemployment levels in the province of Quebec, as I mentioned earlier, are at a record low level, so that speaks rather well to the ability of Quebeckers to respond to challenges.

The member asked me to comment on future initiatives. The trade department is providing funding for the forestry sector specifically. For the international business development, trade commissioners' offices are working very diligently to provide that kind of advice, the lead generation, the opportunities that the industry looks forward to benefiting from in the future.

The return of the $5 billion, much of that going back to the province of Quebec, has provided the transition. I would also mention that the exemption of the Quebec border mills is something that will assure this part of the industry, at the very least, the total absence of duties on an ongoing basis.

As well, the binational softwood lumber council and the very real—

[Business of Supply, November 13th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I sincerely look forward to working my colleague, the hon. member for Sherbrooke, in our mutual responsibilities at the international trade committee.

There are a number of important issues, and none more than this, but he understands full well the dynamic nature of the changes affecting all countries in their adjustments to the realities of global competition. He understands that it is an asymmetrical circumstance. He understands as well that each sector of our economy is affected differently as a consequence of the changes we are experiencing as a nation. We are not in isolation in experiencing those changes.

However, he asks specifically about measures that have been taken.

When the member cites unemployment figures in one sector of the economy, it is fair to acknowledge that unemployment levels in our country are at historic lows at this juncture. It is also fair to acknowledge that in la belle province the rate of unemployment currently is around 6% and that this rate is at its lowest level in perhaps 15 years. This is an indication of the ability of Quebeckers, the ability of Quebec enterprise, of small, medium and large business, to adapt and to transfer the capabilities and the skills held in those businesses in new and creative ways to create job opportunities. Quebeckers have the ability to do that, just as do the members of the small, medium and large business communities across our country. They have the ability to refocus and transition into ways that will allow them to grow, expand and prosper, and that is precisely what they are doing.

Highlighting employment figures in one sector is easily done and has a purpose to it, but the reality remains that the consequences of adaptation and of globalized marketplaces are very real and cannot be ignored.

I was surprised somewhat to hear—

[Business of Supply, November 13th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to have this opportunity to respond to the question asked by the member for Trois-Rivières concerning the forest industry and what the government is doing to help that industry.

As stated in the recent Speech from the Throne, the government will stand up for Canada's traditional industries, including forestry, which are currently being challenged. Our government has taken action to support workers as these industries adjust to global conditions and will continue to do so.

Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Roberval—Lac-Saint-Jean.

The hon. member for Trois-Rivières is right to point out that the forest industry is facing numerous problems. That is a reality. Indeed, these problems include high fibre costs, falling U.S. demand, the rise in the value of the Canadian dollar, and increased energy and production costs.

I would like to remind my colleagues that in the 2006 budget the Government of Canada announced an investment of $400 million over two years to strengthen the long term competitiveness of the forestry sector, a key sector, and to promote worker adjustment among other things; hardly laissez-faire.

I would also like to take this opportunity to once again remind my colleagues of the wide ranging benefits of the 2006 softwood lumber agreement to the Quebec forestry sector, an agreement which was supported and continues to be supported by the provinces and by industry.

Thanks to the efforts of our government an agreement was concluded with the United States, an agreement that received the support of Quebec and of the other major softwood producing provinces in Canada. In addition, this agreement also enjoyed the support of a clear majority of the industry players.

During the negotiations with the United States we worked very hard and we worked cooperatively with the province of Quebec, as well as the other provinces and the forest industry to take their interests into account. It is in the spirit of this agreement that the agreement stands as a clear reflection of those collaborative efforts.

Second, it is important to note that the agreement returned duties collected by the United States and ended all litigation. On that point, it should be noted that Quebec has received over $1 billion of the $5 billion returned to the Canadian industry.

The return of these funds marks a significant infusion of capital into the industry and was a benefit to workers and communities across Canada. It has helped industry weather these difficult times marked in particular by a sagging U.S. housing market.

In addition to the fact that the agreement allows Quebec to safeguard the management of its forests, it provides at least seven years of stability to the softwood lumber industry. In addition, as provided for in the agreement, border measures will not apply to softwood lumber exports from 32 countries which include all of the Quebec border mills.

The agreement also prohibits the United States from taking trade remedy action for the life of the agreement, thereby protecting our exporters from the unpredictable and crippling U.S. trade action which in the past saw duties rise to as high as 27%.

The government is not operating alone on this issue. The government has continued to consult very closely with industry and provincial officials. Federal officials continue to hold one on one and industry group meetings with forestry companies to understand their needs and their concerns. In addition, federal and provincial government officials meet regularly to discuss matters related to the implementation of the agreement and to the state of the industry.

The result of this close stakeholder collaboration on the softwood lumber agreement was and is the single best way forward for this industry and the hundreds of thousands of Canadians in communities that rely on it every day.

I can also reassure my colleague from Trois-Rivières that the Government of Canada has continued to work rigorously on this file, well beyond last year's coming into force of the agreement. The softwood lumber agreement establishes a formal institutional framework for the governments of Canada and the United States to manage the softwood lumber file and to address issues that arise over the life of the agreement.

The agreement provides for the establishment of a softwood lumber committee to supervise the implementation of the agreement, oversee its further elaboration, supervise the working groups established under the agreement and consider other matters that might affect its operation.

In exercising its functions, the committee is encouraged to establish and delegate responsibilities to working groups or expert groups, and to seek expert advice as is necessary. Indeed, at its 2007 inaugural meetings, the softwood lumber committee established five working groups to address both technical subjects, such as data and reconciliation, permits and customs issues and scope issues, and also longer term policy issues identified in the softwood lumber agreement such as regional policy exits and lumber made from logs harvested from private lands and log export restraints.

The committee has now met twice, most recently a couple of weeks ago in Ottawa, helping to ensure that implementation and administration of the agreement proceeds effectively, efficiently and smoothly, thereby providing benefits to industry.

Moreover, as the hon. member for Trois-Rivières is undoubtedly aware, the softwood lumber agreement also established mechanisms to assist the lumber industry reap the benefits of the highly integrated nature of the North American economy. An example of such mechanisms is the Binational Softwood Lumber Council, which is comprised of 12 industry representatives from both sides of the border and whose primary focus is increasing cooperation between the United States and the Canadian softwood lumber industry.

One of the key objectives of the Binational Softwood Lumber Council is to strengthen and expand the market for softwood lumber products in an effort to make North America's lumber industry more competitive over the longer term.

An equally important objective of the council is to build stronger cross-border partnerships and to create a climate of trust at all levels of the industry. We are not so much competing against one another as we are building things together in these two countries. These are essential elements for any industry striving to operate successfully in today's highly integrated global economy.

We understand that the forestry sector is undergoing difficult times. The reality is that North America has a highly interdependent lumber market. Its current weak condition has been caused by a decline in the U.S. housing market, around 30% year over year, which has reduced demand for wood products.

As I mentioned at the start, we are also, as we know, facing a rising Canadian dollar and stiffer competition from emerging markets that have lower fibre production costs. These factors have resulted in a far worse impact on the lumber industry and would have resulted in a far worse impact on the lumber industry in the absence of a softwood lumber agreement. The return of $5 billion has helped companies weather the current difficulties.

The government continues to listen to the concerns of our forestry communities. We are working together to develop solutions to the problems that they are facing.

As we have always maintained, both Canada and the United States have an interest in ensuring that the agreement operates smoothly and will continue to work closely with forestry stakeholders to achieve this goal. We should never forget that we are one another's most important commercial partners. The $1.7 billion worth of trade that flows across our border each and every day attests to that fact. In fact, that nearly all of this trade is able to move with very few disputes is an accomplishment in itself.

Through the assistance of the Trade Commissioner Service and our embassies abroad, the government is working with the Canadian forestry industry to find new trade opportunities in foreign markets. Every day our trade commissioners overseas find new buyers and communicate new trade deals to the Canadian forestry and wood products industry.

In addition, the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade has provided funding support to the sector in its efforts to undertake various international business development initiatives through the program for export market development for trade associations.

As I just highlighted, mechanisms established by the agreement to assist the lumber industry exist through the work of the Binational Softwood Lumber Council. It is important that industry stakeholders on both sides of the border work together to look at new and innovative ways to confront the challenges that the industry is currently facing. The agreement and the work of the Binational Softwood Lumber Council is facilitating this dialogue, which can help create an environment within which the softwood lumber industry can prosper; an industry that is important for so many workers, communities and families across this great country.

The softwood lumber agreement is a good reminder of how Canada and the U.S. can work through our own domestic challenges, turn our focus to creating a more competitive North American lumber industry, and work together to find new outlets for North American lumber in world markets. The SLA has been, and continues to be, a positive factor for the Quebec forest industry and the communities that derive their livelihoods from it.

While recognizing the current challenges faced by the forestry sector, there is no doubt that this agreement has benefited the provinces and their forestry stakeholders by providing lumber producers with a return of duties, putting an end to longstanding litigation, and providing predictability and stability that has eluded the sector for far too long.

I will conclude by saying that this government will continue to keep an open dialogue with the forest industry and with provinces to ensure a prosperous and long-lasting agreement that is to the benefit of Quebeckers and all Canadians involved in the forestry sector.