Mr. Speaker, I know the member for Windsor West works very diligently and passionately with respect to border issues. His riding is situated close to the most important border crossing in Canada in terms of our commercial trade between Windsor and Detroit.
He throws out the figure of $18 billion in lost revenues, a figure which I think comes from the Ontario Chamber of Commerce. Frankly, it is good that the number is out there. It certainly helps us focus our minds on the importance of the border. I have also debated the figure with the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, and it depends so much on scenarios, models and formulas or what is built into that model.
I think the member also understands that the Deputy Prime Minister met recently in Detroit and Windsor with U.S. homeland security secretary Tom Ridge at which time the U.S. government and ourselves committed to increasing the flow of traffic and decreasing the transit times by 25% next year, and we will do that. Bridge lanes will be added on the Canadian and U.S. sides. We have committed to putting in 30 more customs officers at the border to staff the new lanes. The U.S. has made the same commitment on its side.
We know we have work to do. We know there are challenges. We know we have to keep the border secure but open for the huge amounts of trade between Canada and the United States.
Has the member really studied the figure of $18 billion earnestly and challenged that number? It is in the public and it deserves some scrutiny.