Mr. Speaker, on April 2, our government reached an agreement with the American government over the softwood lumber issue. This agreement will give our industry immunity from legal action by the American industry for the next five years.
For our part, we have agreed to limit at 14.7 billion board feet per year the amount of softwood lumber shipped to the U.S. duty-free. To meet this commitment, we have put in place a quota system that was generally well received by the industry in the four main lumber-producing provinces.
This system will be reviewed annually and will adjust to changes in the industry and to market conditions.
The quota system is not a limit imposed on producers. In fact, it guarantees extended access to the U.S. market.