Madam Speaker, I am sure you will not mind if, before reading and speaking to the motion introduced by my colleague for South Shore, I take a few minutes on this lovely Monday morning, on this historic and special day, to greet the people from my riding who have come to pay us a visit here in Ottawa, as well as the many delegations from all over Quebec who have come here to make known to Canadians and to Quebeckers our great regret and dissatisfaction with the reference that began before the Supreme Court this morning.
I thank the people from the riding of Repentigny for being here this morning. I would also like to express my appreciation for the support shown by mayors and municipal politicians who, upon receiving a letter pointing out the importance of respecting democracy in Quebec, told us of their interest in following this debate and their satisfaction with the Bloc Quebecois' particular contribution to it.
In May and June of 1997, our slogan was “The Bloc is there for you”, but today, tomorrow and throughout the week, we are going to show that the Bloc will be there to defend Quebeckers' interests.
Now, I am going to speak more specifically to the motion from the member for South Shore. Please bear with me while I read it in its entirety, because, as I am sure you will agree, it is rather complex: “That, in the opinion of this House, the government should instigate a study of non-tariff trade barriers to the European Common Market, specifically the ban by the European Common Market of Canadian forest products that have bark or needles attached.”
That is quite specific, but as my colleagues have already said, it is important nevertheless because, in a number of areas of international trade in which Quebec and Canada are playing an increasingly large role, as soon as we step out of line the least little bit, we are put into our place with references to the court of international trade or some other court for trade disputes.
For this reason, we must pay particular attention to all these referrals to trade tribunals.
We were pleased—as was the hon. colleague for South Shore, I am sure—to learn that the Liberal government was already examining the possibility of reference to the court. It is worth pointing out, although I believe the parliamentary secretary did so inadvertently, that the figures he quoted were perhaps a bit exaggerated. What is being referred to here is not lumber in general but rather, mainly, the specific trade in Canadian forest products with bark or needles still attached.
This is, therefore, a market of some $11 million. That $11 million figure is significant, definitely, but far from the $700 million figure we were given earlier.
In the Canadian lumber industry, that is a small market. It is a market that is not expanding, but rather holding its own, for the businesses involved in this sector are small or very small.
As the previous speakers have pointed out, what is involved is mainly Christmas tree exports. In Quebec, we are so much into celebrating Christmas that we keep our trees for ourselves. To all intents and purposes, we are pretty well absent from this market, although we do export a few trees.
The problem, or the query, from the European Community concerns grub larvae. There are a number of scientific sectors that allow us to look at the real concerns of the Europeans and the European Community in general in the matter.
We are told, for example, that there is scientific proof. We were also told there was scientific proof on asbestos. Our Conservative colleagues from the area will certainly agree with me: these studies can be made to say almost anything.
This is the same European Community that had such an influence on the seal hunt. It is the same one that had something to say about dubbing films in French. It spoke out about lumber exports generally, in environmental terms, and now it is concerned more specifically with forest products that have their bark and needles attached.
As was said earlier, I think we must be open about these trade disputes. Canada must get involved, as the parliamentary secretary has said. It should also raise the awareness—ring a few bells, as we say—of those negotiating the multilateral investment agreement so we do not increasingly find ourselves in this sort of bind being pulled hither and thither by the various stakeholders in this era of globalization.
The subcommittee on international trade tabled a report with the Minister for International Trade focussing on the clarification of rules in trade disputes in the context of the MIA. We have had no response to this report from the subcommittee. We hope to have a response soon, and especially a positive response on the legitimate questions raised by my Liberal colleagues, because the report was not tabled by the Bloc alone, but supported by the Bloc following the Liberals' recommendations. They agreed to recognize the importance of clear handling of trade disputes and of acknowledging a general cultural exception.
This motion by the member for South Shore reminds us of the importance of all these events surrounding disputes and of clear international trade and well established rules. With a rare point of consensus—although I have not heard the NDP on the subject—all of the parties in the House apparently agree to support this motion.