Pierre Pettigrew

[Softwood Lumber, January 30th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, allow me to put things in perspective.

This bill that is before the U.S. Congress is one of many initiatives of this type in the United States. I believe that it is a pressure tactic by certain senators who are very involved in this issue. I believe that for now, it is more important to focus our efforts on our relations with the American administration.

Last week I met with Secretary of Commerce Don Evans. Our industry representatives are in Washington right now and are meeting with Mr. Aldonas to see how the document he drafted could be improved and to find a long-term solution to this issue. However, yes—

[Softwood Lumber, January 30th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, this is a very important moment in the discussions that we are having with the Americans.

Right now the chief executive officers of the softwood lumber industry in our country are in Washington doing serious work. I want them to know that they have the support of our government.

Mr. Aldonas and the secretary of commerce, Mr. Evans, have put this as their very top priority. They have tabled a report on which we are working and trying to improve.

Our advocacy campaign has worked in the United States. We are standing up and going places.

[Softwood Lumber, January 30th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I am at a loss to understand what the Alliance wants. My critic from the Alliance just told us to stop all negotiations, to pursue the Americans before the courts and not even talk to them. Now the other member from the Alliance gets up and says, “For God's sake, you don't speak enough with the Americans. You are not nice enough with the Americans. You should blink before them and make sure that you do the right thing all the time”.

The government will listen to neither of the Alliance points of view. We will stand by our industry--

[Softwood Lumber, January 30th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I have always made it very clear that any long term policy resolution that Canada is seeking at these talks would have to address the dumping situation as well. I reiterated that to the Secretary of Commerce, Don Evans, last week in Davos. I will do the same thing when I go to Washington next week with an all party delegation precisely to maintain this very solid support for our Canadian industry. That is our objective here.

[Softwood Lumber, January 30th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, there are always a lot of similar initiatives before Congress, and this is absolutely not the kind of initiative that will distract us from the very important work that is being done right now. That is being done with the executive, with the United States government. We are working very well with Don Evans and Mr. Aldonas has proposed a very good report. I am telling the member that on that basis there is a dialogue that is being re-established. We have a good case before the WTO and NAFTA and we--

[Softwood Lumber, January 29th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, let me be very clear that indeed we are supporting the softwood lumber industry across the country because we are going through a very difficult time with the punitive measures that the Americans are taking.

As Atlantic Canada is not affected by the countervailing duties, the Maritime Lumber Bureau has asked not to receive that assistance from the Government of Canada, not to be rolled into the American action. It is at their request that they are not receiving any money, but we stand by the rest of Canada because softwood lumber is a top priority for the government.

[Dairy Production, January 27th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, we are working very closely with dairy producers. We have been doing so for several years. We have worked closely with UPA representatives for several years. The Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and I struck a committee together, where we are reviewing all of these issues.

I can tell the member that the cooperation that we have received from dairy producers has been very constructive and very much to their benefit. They are very appreciative of the system that we are defending and promoting in all international forums, despite everything the Bloc Quebecois is constantly saying here in the House.

[Softwood Lumber, January 27th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, obviously the softwood lumber issue remains the top trade priority for our government. Again this past week I had an opportunity to discuss it with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Don Evans, who is the one responsible for this matter.

Next week I will be in Washington to again discuss this extremely important matter with Ambassador Zoellick and Mr. Evans. We have an excellent case before the courts. We will win out in the end, but we are open to dialogue with the Americans in order to find a long term solution for this matter, which is of great importance to our country.

[Trade, December 10th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the United States proposal is bold, it is innovative and it does indeed merit careful consideration. Our tariffs are generally very low and many goods already enter Canada duty free. We are committed to the further reduction or even elimination of barriers that remain in markets of interest to Canadian exporters.

We must also call for the full consideration of the needs of developing countries.

[Softwood Lumber, December 5th, 2002]

I see that Bloc Quebecois members are very nervous. After visiting the Lac-Saint-Jean—Saguenay region, I understand why they are getting nervous on that side of the House and they do not even want to hear my answer.

Yesterday, I told softwood lumber workers that Gilbert Tremblay is prepared to work with them to find solutions to their real problems, but not to engage in systematic obstruction, not to ask—