Mr. Speaker, the president of the Québec Forest Industry Council, Guy Chevrette, yesterday condemned the Conservatives' indifference toward the catastrophe in Quebec's forest industry, which has lost 42,000 jobs since 2005. According to Mr. Chevrette, the government must provide loan guarantees to support the industry.
Can the Prime Minister tell us which specific provision of the softwood lumber agreement with the United States prohibits such loans? Otherwise, everyone will know that he has decided to side with the American protectionist lobby.