It's a bit ironic in that respect.
To Ms. Goodman, Mr. Higginbotham, and Mr. Weaver, you indicated that your companies want to move ahead, and you talked about the fact that you don't want to go through litigation—or prefer negotiation to litigation—and want to try to bring some closure. You said we don't have a perfect deal, but that you'll move ahead. You realized that there's the aspect of the billion dollars and what the advantages are of moving ahead now and where those dollars will go. We've heard about those being used for investment, helping the forest industry. If we can work north and south in an agreement as far as the two forest councils are concerned, I think that some of the billion dollars could be fostering further industry improvements as well.
You also spoke about the need for certainty and predictability in this agreement. I would just like to hear from whoever would like to respond, but I know the three I mentioned spoke specifically about the need for predictability in the industry for investments and jobs. What does that mean for your community?
Coming from the Okanagan and Kelowna lakes country, I've spoken with folks in the industry in the valley. Of course, the pine beetle is a very serious problem for the short term and could cause a national crisis, as we learned on Monday in hearing that the pine beetle could cross the B.C.-Alberta border if the food sources.... If they'd like to take up the jack pine, they've already taken the mountain and the western pine in the interior.
But specifically, what does certainty and predictability mean from an industry perspective? I guess certainty is for jobs and further investment in our communities. That's what we're here for, as we're concerned about the future economies of our communities.
Mr. Weaver, you could start.