Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate my Bloc colleague for his comments on this very important topic.
I have several mills in my riding. The softwood lumber dispute is causing a lot of damage and a lot of harm. Since 1996, when the agreement was first put in place, the government absolutely and completely failed to have any forethought in seeing that this deal would expire. It did absolutely nothing in that five year period and now we do have workers losing jobs, in my colleague's riding, in my riding and in ridings across this country.
I ask my friend how the government can possibly defend its do nothing approach to this major trade crisis that is causing so much harm and hardship for people across the nation. Could my colleague comment on the government's do nothing approach to solving such an important issue?