Mr. Speaker, the Canadian sugar industry's access to the United States continues to be restrained by unfair trade restrictions by the U.S. government. Canadian sugar exports to the U.S. were drastically reduced last year when the Americans lowered our export quota. As a result, the Lantic Sugar Refinery in my city of Saint John has had to lay off employees.
These tariffs are estimated to cost many hundreds of Canadian jobs in the sugar industry. The U.S. has refused to respond to its NAFTA obligations to terminate its re-export of sugar-containing products by October 1, 1996.
The all-party sugar caucus, of which I am a member, has just passed a unanimous resolution. The resolution calls for measures to protect Canadian jobs and investment. As a member of the sugar caucus I call on the Minister for International Trade to immediately challenge these unfair trade restrictions and request formal consultations under NAFTA in order to preserve our sugar industry and save hundreds of Canadian jobs.