Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister for International Trade. Since September 1996, Davie industries has been negotiating financial guarantees for a contract to rebuild the Brazilian oil platform Spirit of Columbus .
Given that the platform has been anchored in Quebec City since September 1997, that SDI has provided its share of the financial guarantees, and that nearly 30% of the job is already completed, why is the federal government dragging its feet in giving the financial guarantees so that MIL Davie can complete this major contract?