Excellent.
You did a good job of explaining how integrated the forestry sector is. Value is captured at every link in the chain. If you take away a link, it puts everything else at risk. That is why the dispute around the anti-dumping and countervailing duties is hurting the sector as a whole. I'd like to hear your thoughts on a proposal that's going around right now. I'll have the clerk send it you.
There are two proposals. The first is to compensate the industry commensurate with a portion of the countervailing duties. We know that $11 billion in countervailing duties is currently sitting in U.S. coffers. The government could buy back a portion of those countervailing duties. Although it is a lot of money, members of the industry, together with unions, recently came out with a new idea. They have suggested that the government purchase 50% of countervailing duties at the end of each month. That way, businesses could continue exporting to the U.S. market, keep people employed, and ensure manufacturing facilities for wood chips and pellets.
I'm not sure whether you heard about the proposal in Ontario, but it's gotten a lot of attention in Quebec.
Do you think the proposal has merit?
We'll send it to you in writing, and I'd like you to get back to us with a written answer.