Mr. Speaker, the government is most certainly not abandoning the Canadian beef industry. The CITT recommendation upon which the government acted last December also included the recommendation that we should monitor the situation and take into account changing circumstances.
A surprising thing which occurred this year is that the 1994 quota level which was established in the area of 72,000 tonnes was in the process of being filled very early in the year. I think none of the participants in this process anticipated that. When it became obvious the quota was about to be filled, some 12,000 to 15,000 tonnes of product which had been contracted for at a lower price were actually in transit. Because of the time taken in transit the product would have arrived in Canada at the higher price and subject to the surtax. Therefore the number was adjusted to take into account, among other things, that volume of product which was actually in transit and would have been treated unfairly upon its arrival in Canada at the higher price.
We continue to monitor the situation. There are discussions going on today and tomorrow with respect to the importation situation for offshore boneless beef. We will try our best to keep a very balanced view of the situation to make sure that all Canadian interests are properly taken into account.