Mr. Speaker, thousands of lumber workers in British Columbia and other provinces are losing their jobs through no fault of their own. They are paying the price for a unilateral U.S. decision imposing crippling duties.
The Bush administration wants the long running Canadian lumber dispute resolved before Christmas. So do lumber workers in B.C. The president appointed an envoy invested with power to negotiate a settlement. Our Prime Minister has the authority to appoint an envoy to negotiate for Canada.
Such a person would understand the industry, be an honest broker and stand for what is right regardless of the politics. Such a person would not let personal biases or political ambitions stand in the way of a balanced solution.
Does the Prime Minister have the political courage to appoint such an envoy? Does the Minister for International Trade have the strength of character to accept such an appointment? I sincerely hope they do.