Mr. Speaker, I listened with interest to the comments made by the member and I have to say that the comments are simply not factual.
The member knows full well that the Canadian government, the Minister of International Trade, the Prime Minister and the Minister of Natural Resources have taken the lead in trying to convince the French government, with respect to crystallite asbestos, that the ban it is seeking to impose is not one that is based on any internationally accepted view of the health risks associated with the asbestos.
The member should know, because it is of concern to his constituents, that the Minister of International Trade actually visited Thetford Mines to meet with municipal officials and hear firsthand from individuals who are working in the industry and from all the stakeholders what would be the best concerted approach that the Canadian government could take, working with the Government of Quebec, the industry and the communities to come up with a concerted game plan in order to convince the French that this particular ban should be reversed.
The member also knows full well that the Canadian government is looking at its options under the World Trade Organization. We believe that the French ban may violate commitments of WTO members that ensure that technical regulations are no more trade restrictive than necessary in order to fulfil a legitimate objective.
While France may have legitimate health and safety concerns about asbestos products, a ban on such products may be more restrictive than necessary, particularly if other-