Mr. Speaker, there are two points I want to make very quickly and hopefully hear some response from the hon. member.
The first is the issue of the extended closing of the border. We expected this week would bring good news of an opened border. However, one week ago the government decided to make a political announcement in opposition to the missile defence system of the United States. It is arguable whether there is a direct linkage between that decision and the supplementary decision to oppose opening the border that came first from a court, but I would remind the government, second from the U.S. senate.
I have spoken to officials in this country who have large vested interests in the industry. They indicate that they were in contact with the administration two days before the vote in the senate. They were told that not only would the motion not pass the senate but there was not enough signatures for the motion to come to the floor of the senate. However, after the decision made by this government to oppose missile defence, all of a sudden there was massive support in the senate to pass the motion, and it eventually passed. That is the reality. Whether there is a linkage or not, one has to acknowledge that the timing of the decision was not in the nation's interest.
The government stood in the House again and again and said that it would call a decision on missile defence when it was in the national interest. Instead it did it just one week before the borders were scheduled to open and put at peril, or at least at potential peril, the interests of this vital industry, which is prominent in my constituency. There is no explanation as to why the government made that decision.
Would the member across the way be willing to make some explanation as to why the government chose that time to take that decision?