Mr. Speaker, in the absence of my colleague, the Minister of State (Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec), allow me to answer the question raised by the member for Brossard—La Prairie.
The member is wrong to say that we refuse to intervene in the forestry sector. This statement is surprising, especially since we are pleased to have settled the softwood lumber dispute with the United States, and even more so because that agreement received the overwhelming support of the forestry industry. The agreement has brought stability to the forestry industry, the communities and workers throughout Canada, and has returned $5 billion to Canadian softwood lumber producers, of which $1 billion has gone to Quebec.
No matter, I would like to remind my colleague that, as a responsible government, it is our duty and our obligation to intervene when regions and communities are in trouble. Naturally, we are extremely worried about the current state of the forestry industry and the position of its workers, whether in Matagami or Val d'Or in Quebec, Bathurst or Miramichi in New Brunswick, or anywhere else in our country.
Forestry workers in Canada and Quebec are the victims of a series of events that have hit the industry hard. The main problem is the market. There are fewer and fewer buyers. Let us bear in mind that, for the industry to recover, we need our neighbours to the south to increase their demand.
Contrary to what the member for Brossard—La Prairie would have us believe, our government is taking action to minimize the effects of the crisis on the forestry industry and its workers. We have also brought in a number of measures to support key economic sectors, which will help these workers and their communities.
Our recently released economic action plan provides strategic support for the forestry industry. Our plan supports the development of new products and processes so that the industry can take advantage of as-yet-unexplored international opportunities.
I would also like to point out that our recent economic action plan, which the opposition helped us pass, gave Export Development Canada (EDC) more money and more ways to help businesses during this increasingly difficult economic period. EDC is working with 90% of Canada's forestry companies and expects that number to go up in 2009.
We have announced several initiatives to stimulate the forestry industry, such as the tax credit for home renovations, which will give Canadian families a tax break of up to $1,350; $2 billion to accelerate construction of college and university buildings; $500 million to support construction of new community recreation facilities and modernization of existing facilities, and more.
Our government is also very concerned about what is happening to Canadian workers, and that is why we developed our action plan. We want a brighter future for Canada, our workers and forestry.