It's frustrating when there's reference to the industry, because there has not been, in the last five years, a single organization representing the industry of Canada. The consultations with the industry have been inconsistent and were sometimes narrowed to select CEOs. The trade associations frequently have been bypassed.
In the so-called consultation about levelling the playing field on the special charge, neither the industry nor the government ever revealed who was part of those conversations. There was no association or organization of industry that participated in those discussions. And I can certainly say that many of the clients I represent had nothing to do with those conversations and weren't consulted.
In addition, although you say that there was no bullying about the EDC, I can testify that I have clients who were pressured considerably by officials of the government to participate in the EDC program to enable the government to reach its 95% target as a condition precedent. That target, as we know, wasn't met, and the agreement was amended on October 12 accordingly.
So it's not true that there was no pressure about using the EDC facility. But my remarks today are focused on the bill in terms of the bargain that was reached. The bargain that was reached was that those who participated in the EDC received an advance payment, and those who didn't participate did not receive an advance payment.
And the evidence is what happened yesterday, and I applaud the EDC's performance yesterday. They made their payment within two weeks. They said they wouldn't do it in less than six to eight weeks. I congratulate them, but that only proves the point, because those who were not participating in the EDC process have not received payments yet.