Mr. Speaker, I agree that all the shipping industries are very important to the economy of Canada.
What we are merely asking is that we expect them to pay a user fee for public facilities provided by the public at taxpayers' expense. This user fee is reasonable. It is less than one tenth of one per cent of the total value of the cargoes. It is less than 3 per cent of voyage costs. It is less than 10 per cent of the services provided.
While there are some differences about how the fee should be paid, it is safe to say most of the industries that have been consulted and that have appeared before the standing committee, while they do not particularly want to pay the fees, are prepared to pay their fair share of the public cost.