As you know, Minister Freeland has been talking to industry, talking to the provinces, consulting widely on the softwood lumber negotiation. You know that the current agreement expired in October 2015. We're now in the midst of a one-year standstill period. There have been no negotiations yet, but the Minister of International Trade is keenly aware of the importance of this international negotiation. She is immersed in the file, and is having serious conversations right across the country.
The interests are not identical, as you know, from one province to the next, but I know that Minister Freeland is committed to consulting widely and negotiating aggressively, and we would hope successfully on Canada's behalf. We also know that this is often an area of bilateral negotiation that can involve national leaders talking to each other. We know there will be opportunities for that.
You should be comforted to know that Minister Freeland is, to use her word, “seized” of the issue, and she realizes its importance for Canada.