Mr. Speaker, first, I congratulate the member for Cumberland—Colchester. He has been a very effective voice on this issue in the House. He has, on numerous occasions, tried to draw out of the government the position it is trying to put forward with respect to the softwood lumber agreement but he has not been successful. He indicated today in his speech that not all the provinces believe what the Prime Minister and the Minister for International Trade have been saying.
However, I will pose a question to the hon. member. We recognize that the position the hon. member has taken is that there should be open borders, free trade, no excise taxes and no quota systems. We all seem to feel that the right way for trade within North America is free trade across an open border between the United States and Canada.
Who is the major lobby group in opposition to this free trade, in the United States particularly? Who is opposing this open borders concept? Who will this have an impact on should an excise tax be placed on softwood lumber going across the border?