Well, based on what my colleague Mr. McLean talked about in terms of clarity of outcome, I think we're seeing, with the exorbitant fluctuations and instability in our forest sector, and really in lumber prices in North America, we see this. On May 24, a Bloomberg news article, after the supposed confidence the minister is supposed to bring to the file, said:
Commerce’s International Trade Administration has calculated a preliminary duty of 18.32%, but the current 8.99% rate remains in place, because a final determination hasn’t been made.
The article continued with our own Susan Yurkovich from COFI:
“We find the significant increase in today’s preliminary rates troubling,” Susan Yurkovich, president of the BC Lumber Trade Council, said.... “It is particularly egregious given lumber prices are at a record high and demand is skyrocketing in the U.S. as families across the country look to repair, remodel and build new homes.”
Our sector needs stability, Minister, and this fluctuation just shows that a softwood lumber agreement would be instrumental in stabilizing the industry. Frankly, we haven't seen movement. You're saying one thing and the U.S. trade representative is saying another. I'll just say it. I was just in Prince George, and throughout my riding yesterday, they needed stability....