Mr. Speaker, I understand and empathize with the member opposite's frustration with the mountain pine beetle.
It is chewing into a forest sector that employs more than 200,000 Canadians and contributes more than $23 billion a year to our GDP. In fact, our forest industry provides more jobs, dollar for dollar, than any other resource sector. This is why our government is seized with protecting Canada's forests, and the men and women, and communities that depend upon them.
Through the Canadian forest service, we have some of our country's brightest minds developing innovative solutions for these infestations, including the one devastating western Canada's pine forests. Together, I believe we will meet this challenge.