Mr. Speaker, the member misses the point that it would be expensive in that it creates a precedent for other sectors. In other words, if there is to be both leasing and rapid write-offs provided for ships, why would it not also be provided for rail cars, for example?
Once we go down that path we effectively opt into a regime of assigning depreciation to other taxpayers on other kinds of assets. Maybe there is an argument to be made for that. Perhaps there could be. I am sure the secretary of state would be willing to hear it, but the member has to appreciate that this is not something we can necessarily isolate to ships. If we are to do that, we had better be prepared to entertain proposals in other sectors as well.
With respect to trying to find with the Americans some narrower exemptions from the Jones act, I can presume to speak on behalf of my colleague in saying that we are quite prepared to work with the industry if we can target areas where we might be able to make progress.
As a member of the PC Party the hon. member will know that the transportation section was originally covered by the FTA and then was pulled out at the last minute by the Americans, thereby ensuring that the Jones act was protected.
If I am not mistaken, there was a time when I was in opposition that I raised a question with the then minister of international trade when NAFTA was being negotiated on this very topic. Indeed it was a part of the negotiating objectives of the Government of Canada at the time that NAFTA was being negotiated. It was not successful in penetrating the Jones act then.
Maybe we could make some additional headway now perhaps in a targeted way. I think the government would be willing to pursue that possibility, if indeed it is one that would be fruitful.