In the brief time available to me, Mr. Speaker, I think I can help the member.
This is certainly an issue that has top priority with the government. It is an issue that has been raised at the highest level and that is between our Prime Minister and the President of the United States. The minister of agriculture, the Minister for International Trade and the government have the intention and the will to stand firm and hard in order to conclude an agreement which will respect the interests of the Canadian agricultural industry.
Specifically our object in these negotiations is to reach a deal that will protect Canada's access to the United States and which provides certainty and predictability for our agricultural and agri-food producers.
As the minister of agriculture has stated many times, there can be no deal unless it is a good deal for Canada. This means a good deal for the grains, food processing and supply managed sectors.
With respect to grains, we know that on April 22, last Friday, the United States notified the GATT of its intention to renegotiate tariffs on Canadian wheat and barley under GATT article XXVIII. By notifying us this did not shut the border. Negotiations can continue for 90 days, and if at the end of that 90-day period the United States is determined and takes a unilateral action we will retaliate in kind. We will protect and we will defend the interests of Canada and the Canadian producers.
We trade fairly with the United States. Our success there has been because of our high quality and because of a shortage there; a shortage there that has been mainly created by its export enhancement program which has taken products out of the United States in order to take advantage of its huge export subsidies.
Throughout these negotiations which began in December we have consulted closely with the industry and the provincial governments on a very high level. We will continue to do that because we know that the bilateral trade between Canada and the United States of $11.5 billion is important. We are committed to ensuring that this trade continues to grow for the advantage and for the future positive effects and mutual benefits to both countries.