Murray Calder

[D-Day, June 6th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, on June 6, 1944, now known to history as D-Day, Operation Overlord, the long awaited invasion of Northwest Europe, began with the Allied landing on the coast of Normandy.

Canadian soldiers were responsible for Juno beach in the centre of the British front. The task was huge. The Germans had turned the coastline into a continuous fortress with guns, pillboxes, wires, mines, and beach obstacles. The outcome of the war would largely depend on the results of this assault.

More than 14,000 Canadians landed in Normandy on D-Day. Inevitably, the cost of human life was considerable. The Canadian assault force suffered 1,074 casualties, of which 359 were fatal.

Today, as we recognize the 59th anniversary of D-Day, hundreds of Canadian veterans and family members are returning to the northern shores of France for the official opening of the Juno Beach Centre.

This interpretive centre has been designed to commemorate the more than one million men and women who enlisted in the Canadian armed--

[Softwood Lumber, June 5th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member across the way knows, first, that we have always approached this from a two pronged strategy.

Prong number one is to put our case in front of the WTO and NAFTA. So far with the WTO it looks like we have been successful with that, and we will know in July with NAFTA.

The second prong has been to negotiate with the United States on the softwood lumber issue. By doing that we have been in full consultation with all the provinces, all the producers and all the industry holders to get the best deal possible.

[Softwood Lumber, June 5th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I will just take and reinforce what I have already said to the member. We believe that not only Atlantic Canada, but all of Canada should be exempt from the punitive measures being applied by the U.S.

[Softwood Lumber, June 5th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, not only do we believe that Atlantic Canada, but all Canadians, should be exempt from the punitive measures applied by the United States.

In this case Atlantic Canada was not successful in achieving exemption from anti-dumping measures. In their meeting with the ministers two weeks ago representatives told him that they preferred a negotiated settlement with the ongoing litigation provided that their interests were met and that the anti-dumping petition would be withdrawn.

[Softwood Lumber, June 5th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, as the minister said last week, no, we will not.

[Softwood Lumber, May 29th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada has been very sensitive to the impact on the industry right across the country. The federal government has already announced over $300 million in assistance. The Minister of Industry, the Minister of Natural Resources and the Minister for International Trade have been very active on this file.

[Softwood Lumber, May 29th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I want to make it adamantly clear that we have had, and always will have, a two-pronged strategy with the softwood lumber.

Prong number one, which is at the WTO and NAFTA, is working very well for us. Prong number two is that we have been in consultation with the producers, with the industry and with the provinces to get the best deal that we possibly can with this.

[Supply, May 29th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. There have been consultations with all parties in this House and I believe that you will find consent for the following order. I move:

That at the conclusion of the present debate on the opposition motion, all questions necessary to dispose of this motion be deemed put, and a recorded division deemed requested and deferred until Tuesday, June 3 at 3 p.m.

(Motion agreed to)

[Softwood Lumber, May 28th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, the chief negotiator submitted this proposal to evaluate if there was a basis for negotiations that would eliminate the anti-dumping duties.

As I have said to the member across the way, we will only agree to a solution that is in the best interests of the Canadian industry.

[Softwood Lumber, May 28th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, the proposal was developed based on extensive discussions with the industry by the chief negotiator.

We have been hearing from the industry across the country, including the Maritimes, on how they want to put an end to the anti-dumping measures. The industry has asked us to explore an acceptable solution that would allow for policy reform and stabilize the situation with regard to the lumber markets in the United States.