Mr. Speaker, small private woodlot owners are being penalized by the federal tax code for following environmentally responsible standards.
The national round table on the environment and the economy report tabled last October recommended that private woodlot owners be treated as small business owners. This would require a change to the tax code to allow sound forestry management practices and silviculture expenses to be deductible from their taxes against their income.
My question is for the Minister of Finance. What is the government's response to the round table's recommendation, and when can private woodlot owners expect a change?