Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have a short question for you.
Clause 17(1) states the following:
17(1)The Governor in Council may, on the recommendation of the Minister for International Trade [...] exempt [...] the export of softwood lumber products [...]
Subclause 22(2) further stipulates:
(2) [...] exempt persons or classes of persons [...]
Supposedly products, regions or persons can be exempted, but doesn't the agreement -- and I'm going by memory here --clearly stipulate somewhere that ultimately the United States are the ones who decide who gives out subsidies or engages in a kind of dumping? Isn't there a contradiction here, a pretense on the part of the government of allowing certain exemptions when ultimately, the United States will have the final word?