Mr. Speaker, the minister has abdicated his responsibility in the softwood lumber dispute. The U.S. is now negotiating directly with the provinces in a divide and conquer arrangement.
The minister said that we could win the softwood lumber dispute on its merits. Why is he allowing the provinces to negotiate against themselves on stumpage, tenure and forest policy while U.S. officials put forth nothing?
The consensus developed between Canadian stakeholders and U.S. consumer groups is being put at risk. A cooked up backroom deal will inevitably go sour. The minister will then no doubt say the industry and provinces made him do it.
Canadians must know what is being proposed. It is time that the minister called a national stakeholders meeting.