Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's enthusiasm for any softwood lumber deal which he and the trade minister have been trying to force on the provinces and the industry always seemed to us to be both misplaced and premature. Today the deal is clearly unravelling. Negotiations have stalled and it is unclear under what conditions they will resume.
Ironically, this delay is being greeted with relief by the producers because it will stop the government from trying to force a bad deal on the Canadian lumber industry.
Will the Prime Minister commit today that any deal he signs on softwood lumber will comply with the North American Free Trade Agreement and not serve to undermine it as the present terms of this deal clearly would be?