Mr. Speaker, in the past, the NDP has had valid ideas when it came to social equity. However, when it comes to the softwood lumber agreement, it is completely out of touch with reality. Again last week, I met with forestry industry leaders and workers. They said they were happy that the agreement had been signed, that it was not the best agreement in the world, but it was something. They told us that the agreement absolutely has to be maintained because it contains a dispute mechanism. They added that even if we lose some cases, we can win others. It relieved them of the sword of Damocles, which the Americans were dangling over their heads.
I would be willing to bet that during the latest federal election the NDP lost at least 5 to 10% of the vote in my riding because they are so out of touch with this reality. People do not want to hear that the agreement should be denounced and that it would have been better to live worse off without it. People felt that the Bloc Québécois position on this was reasonable and asked us to continue supporting this agreement. Today, we continue to defend workers and industry leaders. The forestry industries of Quebec and Ontario need the tools that the Bloc Québécois are bringing forward, which the Conservatives still refuse to accept.