Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Thunder Bay--Superior North for sharing his time with me. He shared with us his perspective, which is very interesting and which reflects the tremendous importance that we in government have given to building a strong team Canada, with involved provinces and an industry that is closely consulted.
I believe that our team Canada, our united front right now vis-à-vis the U.S., and American producers in particular, will be a determining factor. I would like to thank all those who have been working on the softwood lumber issue, the provincial governments, industry and representatives who shared their perspectives with us. It was all very useful.
I would also like to thank my colleagues, members, from both sides of the House, who came to Washington and who demonstrated in no uncertain terms to the Americans that their own best interests were served by free trade in softwood lumber, by having access to Canada's quality product at the best possible price, especially at a time when the economy is faltering as is now the case.
I am really very pleased to respond to the motion put forward by the member for Kamouraska--Rivière-du-Loup--Témiscouata--Les Basques.
The U.S. commerce department decision last week to add a 12.5% tariff on dumping on top of the 19.3% countervailing duty was a very punitive and unjustified gesture. This is a finding which is completely unjustified. I have conveyed my views to U.S. secretary of commerce Evans and I will continue to argue that very strongly.
I would like to thank the provincial ministers and the industry for the support and co-operation they have shown in presenting a common and united front in the defence against these unfounded actions. I can tell the House that I believe we will be able to make a lot more progress as a united team than otherwise.
I had the opportunity of meeting with former governor Racicot today, a close ally of the president of the United States and a good friend of his. He is a man who knows the issues very well. He is a man who can listen, who can go beyond the prejudices the American producers have about crown lands in Canada and look at the reality of the file. I believe he is someone we can really work with. I appreciate as a very positive signal his appointment by the president of the United States.
Too, I would like to say in the House how very supportive the Prime Minister of Canada has been on the file. The Prime Minister has not lost one opportunity even in very delicate times, such as his first meeting after September 11 with President Bush, to raise the situation of the softwood lumber issue.
I had many discussions over last weekend with chief executive officers from British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec, who told me that in 20 years they had never seen a Prime Minister so completely and personally engaged on the softwood lumber file. They said that the previous prime minister would never have been that deeply involved. I would like to thank the Prime Minister for being so supportive.
The government is extremely sensitive to what is happening in the communities across our country that are most dependent on softwood lumber. I had the opportunity this very afternoon to talk to mayor Colin Kinsley of Prince George, British Columbia. I had the pleasure of talking with mayor Jamie Lim of Timmins, Ontario. I am very pleased to see that they are here with us in the House today. They have explained very well what their communities are going through. I know there are dozens of other communities that live with the same situation. I would like to tell them that the government realizes how very punitive and unfair it is to them and that it affects other workers beyond the softwood lumber people, because of course whole communities are affected by it.
I want to thank them for having come here to explain to us how much they support our work, how much they are part of that team Canada and how much of our problem is protectionism in the United States, protectionist producers in the United States, that it is not east and west. I am glad that they are the mayor of Timmins, Ontario and the mayor of Prince George, British Columbia, provinces from both the centre and west. The regions do not count here. What really counts is that we remain together in promoting free trade in softwood lumber. I believe it is imperative that we go in this direction and of course the discussions in which we have been engaged have been very useful.
We had these discussions on the basis of provincial practices. I hear opposition members say “Why are we letting the provinces explain their views to the Americans?” The answer is very simple. In 90% of the cases, the allegations made by U.S. producers concern provincial programs.
Our government's way of doing things is to have the Minister for International Trade lead and co-ordinate these discussions with the Americans, but we also have at the table those responsible for forest management practices in our country.
The way to free trade is to make sure that, beyond the slogans and biases that Americans may have about the crown lands that are part of our Canadian fabric and our way of doing things, we have forest practices that are fair and equitable.
I want to congratulate the provincial Government of British Columbia, which has had the audacity and the courage to really tackle this issue and really wants to do constructive work for the long term by addressing the reality of its provincial practices, to do the right thing for its industry, not to please the Americans. No, we want to do the right thing for Canadians, but we realize that by addressing and improving these forestry management practices we might be denying the Americans many of their arguments, their prejudices and the allegations they are making. I want to say that I have appreciated its contribution a great deal.
I am also very pleased that the Quebec government agreed to take part in these discussions. To be sure, the dispute resolution system is there. The hon. member for Thunder Bay—Superior North said it earlier, we are before the WTO to challenge the allegations made by Americans, because we know full well that they do not make any sense. We also know that we will win if we go to the end of the process.
However, in the meantime, there are communities that are really suffering. This is why we are also trying to find a human and long term solution that is leading us toward free trade, by solving the issues that may exist regarding free trade, and by making sure that we will have a large common market open to free trade, as we do for the rest. I think we have accomplished an enormous amount of work in recent months.
I am extremely impressed by where we are as a country at this moment. The times are difficult. It is very tough to be met with the punitive actions that Americans have imposed on us on the softwood lumber issue but this is not the time to blink. We are committed to free trade in the long term. In years to come we will be very pleased to have addressed the issues at its very heart. That takes some time and I know how hard it is in the communities. I am begging people for a little patience. I know how tough it is but I can tell everyone that this is the number one priority of our government. This is the number one priority in the U.S.-Canada agenda of our Prime Minister and of the Minister for International Trade.
I can tell members that following the meeting I had today with representative Racicot I do believe that the discussions track might really lead us to a constructive long term solution, which is softwood free trade. That is what we deserve.