Prior to dealing with the motion, I'd like to clear up something the opposition was asking about earlier. Mr. St. Amand and I walked through one of the committee rooms downstairs, and he was taking great exception to the fact that he felt someone was attacking a colleague there. I felt my colleagues were being attacked here. But I didn't have all the information at the beginning of the meeting.
I want to read into the record excerpts from the news release that did go out from these two members. The other members can decide how much of it was used accurately in the media report.
The headline on it was “Harris And Allen Lead Government Side For Standing Committee Study On Canada’s Forest Industry”. It was sent out on February 28 and reads:
Federal Members of Parliament, Dick Harris (Cariboo-Prince George) and Mike Allen (Tobique–Mactaquac), will lead Conservative government members of the Standing Committee on Natural Resources in an intensive study of the challenges and opportunities facing Canada’s forest industry.
Then it goes through a couple of quotes. Members can look those up. I don't think I need to read them all in—from Dick and from Mike.
Then Mr. Harris is saying:
I thank Minister Gary Lunn for the confidence he has expressed by designating me and Mike Allen to lead the government side in this important Standing Committee study. A report will be presented to Parliament upon completion of our work.
I hope that clears it up for the opposition members.