Mr. Speaker, this government has simply abandoned the forestry industry. It has also abandoned forestry workers laid off in small forest communities hard hit by this crisis.
The Conservative government had said that the softwood lumber agreement would put an end to the disputes with the Americans, but that is not true. This government is using that agreement to refuse to give loans to forestry companies. It is sitting on its hands while workers suffer and rural communities deteriorate.
The Conservatives are wrong. The government must defend the interests of the forestry industry and the thousands of people who work in that industry.
Why does this government have nothing to offer forestry workers, and when will it submit a real plan to help the forestry industry to this House?