Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
My first question is addressed to Mr. Parent. We all agree that the industry and workers are currently facing a crisis. However, let's come back to the agreement itself and what it means for the industry. I presume you were present during Mr. Johnson's testimony.
According to him, this agreement will provide a framework for the industry, bringing security and specific gains for both Quebec and Canada. He was very clear in that regard. The two fundamental points are that this agreement will ensure the survival of the industry and the firms that operate within it. Furthermore, the mechanism whereby the federal government will subrogate in the rights of the industry means that some money will be returned by Christmas time or perhaps even by Halloween, which would solve a lot of problems and allow businesses to reinvest, as has been requested.
I would like to hear your comments on this. I'm talking about the agreement. I respectfully believe that it will solve a lot of the problems workers are currently facing.
My second question is for Mr. Rivard. I paid careful attention to both your testimony and your brief. You mentioned the fact that the crisis the industry is currently experiencing is related not only to countervailing duties, but to the rise in the Canadian dollar as well. We all agree that this is a problem. However, don't you think that settling the dispute and the fact that there will no longer be countervailing duties levied would counteract some of the negative effects the industry is feeling because of the higher Canadian dollar?
Also, you raised a great many points where you say that this or that is necessary. Those points are all well taken, but an out-of-court settlement is never perfect for either of the parties, because the basic principle involved is that each must make concessions.
As Mr. Johnson stated a little earlier, we could lose our legal cases at any time on a purely procedural matter, rather than on the substance of the case. If one of our arguments didn't fly and the whole thing collapsed, what would your perspective on it be? Do you not think we would end up in a bottomless pit, if that were to happen?