moved for leave to introduce Bill C-311, an act to require the Minister for International Trade to retaliate against import restrictions introduced by the United States of America on Canadian refined sugar and sugar containing products.
Mr. Speaker, the name of this act is known as the United States Sugar Import Restrictions Retaliation Act.
In 1994 Canada and the United States and over 100 countries signed a new GATT agreement aimed at reducing trade barriers and increasing market access over time. However, in the face of this global trade liberalization the United States preserved its own protectionist, high priced sugar program and took the opportunity to further reduce Canada's access for sugar and sugar containing products.
On January 1, 1995 Canada's exports of refined sugar and sugar containing products were forcibly reduced to a trickle. The sugar industry estimates that this will result in a $90 million loss in export trade accompanied by substantial job losses in Canada's refining and food processing industries.
Imports from the United States are unrestricted and continue to rise as Canadian tariffs on U.S. sugar and sugar containing products decline under NAFTA.
This is one way free trade and will result in millions of dollars of lost revenue, countless job losses and the reallocation of plants producing sugar containing products to the United States.
In conclusion, our Prime Minister yesterday quoted that the Americans are our best friends whether we like it or not. Let us resolve this issue quickly as friends.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed.)