Madam Speaker, the member referred in her speech to the Americans as acting like cowboys. Cowboys are really not that bad. I found that a rather strange comparison. In this instance we are sitting back watching bullies guide us around by the nose and our response is not strong enough to drive home a point.
I do not blame some people for trying to protect their interests when it comes to delivering and receiving valuable natural resources. However we expect the government in charge to watch out for the best interests of our people and our industry, which supplies the livelihood for thousands of families. However it has neglected to do so.
I know both the Bloc Party and the Reform Party in the past reminded the government over and over again that the deadline was approaching and that the agreement was coming to an end. We asked what preparation was in place to ensure that the interests of Canada were guarded.
All these months and years have gone by and we still see total inaction. There has been no plan or proposal other than the government saying that it would see that fair and free trade existed. What specific action is the government taking? In my view government members are doing absolutely nothing and they should hang their heads in shame for protecting the interests of Canadians so poorly.
Does the member agree with that?