Mr. Speaker, as usual, I listened to my Bloc Québécois colleague with a great deal of interest. What I do not understand is how the Bloc Québécois is involved in the current forestry crisis. Job losses in Quebec have risen sharply since October 2, 2006, when the softwood lumber agreement, that sellout agreement, took effect. Since then, thousands of Quebeckers in Mauricie, Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean and elsewhere in Quebec have lost their jobs. Because of the anti-circumvention clause, which the NDP had predicted the Americans would use, Quebeckers and Ontarians had to shell out $68 million last week. In a few weeks, another $400 million will be paid.
Is the member prepared to admit that the idea of loan guarantees, which is good and which the NDP fully supports, is blocked by the softwood lumber agreement, that sellout agreement? In fact, the Americans are happy with this agreement, because they can use it to take the Quebec forestry industry and its workers to court.