Natural Resources committee  My comments on CN were based on a survey I did recently. There is still frustration out there. Having said that, CN says they are trying their best. The context is that mills are taking downtime all the time, and mills are closing with very limited notice. So in fairness to the railroad, conditions are changing rapidly in terms of demand for cars.

Natural Resources committee  On what government can do in the short term, all levels of government should wring costs out of this system—regulatory costs and process costs. Under the softwood lumber agreement you are not allowed to subsidize industry, so let's just take that as a given and move on. I think we need to provide for the most competitive policy framework possible for when market recovery does happen.

Natural Resources committee  Thank you. The softwood lumber agreement provides a framework, and within that framework is a process that's very important for industry and governments—the Canadian, the U.S., and provincial governments—in a period, as you pointed out, of great instability for markets, industries, workers, and communities.

Natural Resources committee  Thank you. On the question of rail service, I was referring mostly to what I would call main-line service, and specifically CN service. I have a number of members in these associations that I'm responsible for who consistently tell me, on a regular basis, that rail service is very poor.

Natural Resources committee  Thank you, Chair and members of the committee, for initiating this important study and for inviting me to appear before you today. My name is John Allan and I am the president and CEO of the Council of Forest Industries, COFI, president of the B.C. Lumber Trade Council, BCLTC, and secretary of the Canadian Lumber Trade Alliance, CLTA.