Madam Speaker, I would like to ask my hon. friend two questions that relate to Vancouver Island and by extension the country. The first deals with the softwood lumber issue. I would like him to describe roughly the actual numbers of individuals who have been affected by this, who have lost their jobs, in contrast to the government's position and claim that very few people, if any, have lost their jobs over this. Second, on the same area in relation to softwood lumber, because of government inaction the damage has already been done to our softwood lumber industry. I would like him to tell us what we can do, what the government should have done, and more important, what we need to do now to give our softwood lumber industry the chance to save peoples' jobs and to get back on its feet and be competitive.
The second question deals with the transport issue and the airport tax. The government has levied a $24 airport tax that is destroying smaller communities across the country. It is impeding economics because people are not flying. They cannot afford it. The money has gone into general revenues, not into security. I ask the hon. member whether he would agree with the notion that the airport tax should be cut down to a more reasonable $8 to $9, which is in keeping with what there is in the U.S. That tax is directed right toward security, including for security personnel on the front lines, for equipment, for training and for wages. Lastly, I wonder whether the member is going to make an initiative with other political parties to get that airport tax down to $10 so we can save the economies of small rural communities, not only in B.C. but across this country, and of the airlines, which are having a very difficult time enduring this airport tax.