Mr. Speaker, the source of the problem described by the hon. member in his question is obviously European subsidization on European pasta exports which recommenced as of April 1.
We have asked the Europeans to withdraw their subsidies, but to date they have declined. The Canadian Wheat Board has had no choice but to respond, which the board did on April 27 by reimposing Canadian import restrictions on certain pasta products.
These restrictions limited imports to retail sized packages imported by retailers. Since the time that measure was imposed we have been made aware by the hon. member and by others of certain unintended effects to small retailers who normally use wholesalers to import pasta on the small retailers' behalf.
Accordingly the Canadian Wheat Board is making certain administrative adjustments to address this issue to allow import permits for pasta imported by wholesalers if that pasta has been imported on behalf of a small retailer and will be sold only to the
public by that retailer, as evidenced by an affidavit signed by both the retailer and the wholesaler.