Mr. Speaker, as I said, I was very pleased to be in Saint-Fulgence. I met 170 workers from a sawmill which, unfortunately, was shut down for a number of reasons, including some that are related to the softwood lumber crisis.
Lost his last election, in 2006, with 38% of the vote.
Softwood Lumber December 5th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, as I said, I was very pleased to be in Saint-Fulgence. I met 170 workers from a sawmill which, unfortunately, was shut down for a number of reasons, including some that are related to the softwood lumber crisis.
Softwood Lumber December 5th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, I was very pleased yesterday to be in the riding of Lac-Saint-Jean—Saguenay and to meet residents of Saint-Fulgence. I accompanied our Liberal candidate, Gilbert Tremblay, who is conducting a great campaign. I was very pleased to meet workers with him.
As regards the softwood lumber issue, I noted that, throughout the region, workers had rolled up their sleeves and we are about to beat the Americans at their own game. We have increased productivity in our sawmills, and we are still present on the U.S. market, thanks to the workers of the softwood lumber industry—
Dairy Industry December 3rd, 2002
Mr. Speaker, this is a decision that I made after consulting with stakeholders here. At the present time, we do not have enough milk to ensure the stability of the processing industry.
I authorized these permits after consulting with the industry, dairy producers and the Canadian Dairy Commission. I provided these permits to allow them to process cheese, because they need some stability in the milk supply.
Softwood Lumber November 29th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, I will not go into everything the member said because she is just trying to pour oil on the fire and is really trying to make a picture that we do not get along well with the United States. That is absolutely wrong.
We work very well with the United States. We have 85% of our international trade with the United States, almost $2 billion of trade every day with the United States. This is an extraordinarily successful relationship. I appreciate the collaboration I get from Don Evans, the secretary of commerce and Bob Zoellick, the United States trade representative.
Nuclear Safety and Control Act November 29th, 2002
moved that the bill be concurred in.
Tax Conventions Implementation Act, 2002 November 28th, 2002
moved that Bill S-2, an act to implement an agreement, conventions and protocols concluded between Canada and Kuwait, Mongolia, the United Arab Emirates, Moldova, Norway, Belgium and Italy for the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion and to amend the enacted text of three tax treaties, be read the third time and passed.
Softwood Lumber November 28th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, our government has responded very well to the situation. My colleagues, the Minister of Human Resources Development, the Minister of Industry and the Minister of Natural Resources, have put several million dollars into the development of new markets around the world. We will continue with our approach.
We will fight the pine beetle in British Columbia. We believe in this industry. We stand by our workers and our communities, and we will prevail. We see that the American producer associations are in trouble. They are the ones that now realize their strategy has backfired.
Softwood Lumber November 28th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, I am extremely attached to the united front we presented to the United States. I congratulate the governments of British Columbia and Quebec on their extraordinary contribution.
As for the strategy, I would say the opposite, that we are still on the same wavelength. Canada is open to negotiation with the U.S. but not capitulation. We do not want to find ourselves being charged a 25% tax in order to avoid a 27% countervailing duty, and required as a result to pull from the courts a case that is going very well for Canada.
This is what we want, to be open to negotiation. To back up our negotiation, however, the court challenges will continue.
Supply Management November 27th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, I can assure all members of this House that our government is firmly committed to supply management. We consider it to be a system that has served farmers throughout the country well. It is also a system that serves the interests of our consumers very well, and is good for people's health.
Our government is therefore firmly committed in all trade negotiations, be they connected with NAFTA or the WTO, to promote supply management, a system that was created by one of our past governments.
Softwood Lumber November 26th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for this very pertinent question and a very important one. Canada has always been open to negotiations with the United States over softwood lumber, but we want to do this only on a fair and reasonable basis and I believe that no deal is better than a bad deal.
Right now we are waiting for the Department of Commerce to bring forward its own proposed resolution to this issue. Mr. Aldonas is working on it, but the United States coalition for lumber has only itself to blame at this moment. Its own strategy is turning and back--