Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Welcome.
Concerning your presentation, the recent news of the Community Development Trust, of course, is foremost in the minds of many on this committee and throughout the country. I'd like to focus on it for a bit, because from the details of the finances available, it seems not to be just for forestry. I'm wondering whether the forestry crisis wouldn't warrant more than the billion dollars for it alone.
The corollary of that is, why wouldn't you mention the Community Development Trust in your presentation, with all respect?
I'll just go through some questions to make it easier for you.
Why would the money be allocated on a per capita basis? I don't think every province is in the same situation. I guess one could say that Alberta's economy would be far from being in a crisis.
Mr. Chairman, with all respect, I know where your riding is.
I wonder how many workers would be applying for retraining from the forest industry in Alberta.
Also, we are led to understand that there are essentially no strings attached, or no signed guidelines with the provinces and territories, in the distribution of this money. I'm wondering how we can be certain that it will go to the forest industries.
Let's just start there, and then I'll continue. I have several pages.