Mr. Speaker, for many years we have seen our access to the U.S. markets systematically reduced by the U.S. government. When Canada signed the Uruguay round agreement on April 15, 1994, the Canadian sugar industry applauded the conclusion of these negotiations.
Little did it know that the U.S. took the opportunity to severely restrict our already limited ability to export to the American market when it tabled its market access commitments. The result is that its market access stands to be virtually erased on January 1, 1995 when the U.S. implements its GATT schedule.
During the 1980s the U.S. government took action to ensure that Canadian cane refiners could not export to the U.S. Now it is the beet farmers who are going to be affected. There are 1,700 Canadian jobs that will be affected unless the government makes some changes.
I am urging this federal government to find a resolution to this problem. With less than one month to go time is running out.