Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
You know, everybody here wants to see every one of our sectors, no matter what it has to do with, do well. From that sentimental part of it, it's not hard to support a motion like this.
The reality of it to everybody here, and Peter, is that the softwood lumber issue is not the reason that lumber is in the shape it is today. It has absolutely nothing to do with it. Without that deal, it would be a lot worse. This was something that was accepted and recommended by the majority and certainly all the large lumber-producing provinces and industry.
It's affecting mine out there, right now, but the reason it's doing so is the amount of lumber and trees that we're trying to salvage in your part of the world, which is the right thing to do, but it also puts a strain on demand. Right now, you can't give away a pine bush in my part of the world. That's the reality of it. It's not the softwood lumber agreement that has caused it, and in other sectors that are out there.
The Canadian dollar is another issue that's probably, if not the top cause of the stress on all these industries, certainly number two. Governments can't deal with that.
I know they're always looking at ways to help our industries, but I can't support this motion in the order in which it's put forth. Let's tell the truth on it, on what some of the causes are and what you can actually do and what you can't do.