Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise on a question I asked originally on April 3 about softwood lumber. At the time I pointed out to the minister that everyone involved with the softwood lumber issue, even the United States industry, had acknowledged that Atlantic Canada should be exempt from countervail duties. The actual petition said:
Petitioners do not allege the softwood lumber production in the Atlantic provinces benefits from countervailable subsidies. This portion of Canadian production should be treated the same as it was in 1991-92.
The minister was very vague in the answer. He has not given us an answer. We want the maritime accord reinstated.
We have repeatedly asked the minister to bring the industry together, the CEOs, consultants and all other parties involved, and week after week the parliamentary secretary and the minister stand and say they are not ready to bring them together.
I now understand that the minister has extended invitations to the industry to come together on Wednesday at the meeting of the deputy ministers from all the provinces, the CEOs and the consultants, just as we have been asking for.
We would like the minister or the parliamentary secretary to confirm both the meeting and what is on the agenda. Are we going to get the maritime accord reinstated?