Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, gentlemen, for being witnesses today and for your excellent comments.
I concur that Canada's prosperity, given that we are one of the most resource-based countries in the world, depends on more aggressive pursuit of bilateral agreements, but we haven't had that free trade agreement initiative for several years—and Minister Emerson has been leading the way. We want to level the playing field in key markets, and that is one of the driving factors that Mr. Emerson has publicly stated on several occasions when attending this committee.
Specifically to Mr. Laliberté, I come from British Columbia, where the forest sector is an economic generator and a cause of great concern, given that about 78% of our forests are being lost to the pine beetle right now and given some of the challenges we face in the manufacturing sector. We had a witness who attended the committee, Mr. Woo, the president and co-chair of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, who said that South Korea was heavily reliant on imported wood, as it imported about 90% of its wood.
Coming from Quebec, do you and the forestry workers you represent see any opportunities by going ahead with this agreement?