Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to inform the House that yesterday afternoon former Governor Racicot and I had a long telephone conversation. Governor Racicot expressed very clearly to me that the favoured course of the United States administrations, both of Mr. Zoellick, the United States trade representative, and of Secretary of Commerce Evans, remains this bilateral solution. He informed me that the Bush administration believes that this is a viable course and that it is feasible.
I have informed him it was imperative for Canada that we have clear elements and that the United States is ready to consider secure market provisions as well.