Wayne Stetski on Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement Implementation Act

In the House of Commons on June 11th, 2019. See this statement in context.

Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement Implementation ActGovernment Orders

June 11th, 2019 / 1:10 p.m.

NDP

Wayne Stetski NDP Kootenay—Columbia, BC

Mr. Speaker, the Nelson Star, which is a newspaper in my riding, has this headline today: “B.C. sawmills shutting down for another 2-6 weeks”.

I have 12 mills in my riding, of which about nine are family owned. They are shocked that there is nothing in the USMC free trade agreement, and no discussion at all, about the softwood lumber tariffs of 21% that have been in place for quite some time.

Could the member share with me why the government left softwood lumber out of the USMCA negotiations? It is at least as important in my riding, and in many others across the country, as aluminum and steel. What is the government going to do about it going forward?

See context to find out what was said next.