Mr. Speaker, April 22-28 marks National Textiles Week in Canada. Among those celebrating is Coats Bell, a thread manufacturer located in my riding in Arthur, Ontario.
As we stated in the red book, Canadian firms, especially small and medium sized businesses, must adopt an aggressive trading mentality and a strong outward orientation to take advantage of export markets.
Canada's textile industry has proven itself up to the challenge. Over the past 10 years Canada's textile exports have tripled and now amount to $2 billion annually.
The 54,000 Canadians employed by the textiles industry are justifiably proud of their achievements. Using innovative technology and a highly trained workforce, the textile industry is a sure bet to contribute further to Canada's economy.