Mr. Chairman, this is a very interesting question. If we lower the tariffs on certain goods we can make a nice estimate as to how much money we will lose. However, if we had the tariffs in place we would not make money because the goods would not come in. We say we have lost $158 million, but it is $158 million we would not have had anyway because the goods would not come in with the ordinary tariffs.
It is a very difficult estimate to make. That is part of the key. This is a good deal for both the Canadian people and for developing countries. Developing countries have said that they
want trade, not aid. That was a good way of putting it. We can put forth any number as lost revenue, but it is not lost revenue. It is revenue we would not get in any case.
Making a projection into future years means, if we have higher revenue losses, that it is revenue we would not have received anyway. If we had put on the tariffs we would not get it. However it is a real benefit to Canadians and a real benefit to developing countries.