Denis Lebel

[Forestry Industry, May 26th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, as people in the House of Commons are aware, we have set up a Canada-Quebec committee that has been working for several weeks to suggest ways of helping the forestry industry in Quebec. We know that the situation is very difficult. We recently announced $200 million in partnership with the Government of Quebec for silviculture and forest management projects and other areas.

The committee is continuing its work and will submit other recommendations to the government. Announcements will be made at a later date.

[Forestry Industry, May 26th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I will give a proper answer to an empty question that is pure falsehood.

In 2008, Export Development Canada provided 226 forestry companies in Quebec with $9 billion in financial services, including loan guarantees. The opposition should stop making false statements.

[Forestry Industry, May 25th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his questions, but once again, there are also many falsehoods in what he just said.

Not long ago, my colleague, the Minister of Natural Resources, and I had the pleasure of meeting with all the Canadian forestry industry presidents, who confirmed their very strong desire to maintain the softwood lumber agreement, which allowed for some stability when the global economic crisis and the market crisis were not such an issue.

We recently announced that Export Development Canada had supported the forestry industry through financial services to Quebec worth over $9 billion last year. Therefore, it is false to say we are not doing anything.

[Forestry Industry, May 13th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, once again, they are only talking about what they want to talk about. For years, this country did not have a softwood lumber agreement with our American partners. Then our government got back $4.5 billion, which was redistributed to the forestry industry. Quebec got $1 billion of that money, which went to forestry companies.

This is a market issue, and it is really unfortunate for all forestry workers. We are implementing measures to deal with the problem.

With 12,300 employees in Quebec, the auto industry is a major employer there. We have to compare apples to apples.

[Forestry Industry, May 13th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for her question.

We all know that the forestry industry across the country and in Quebec has been going through very hard times. That is why, together with my colleague, the Minister of Natural Resources, we set up the Canada-Quebec task team, which has been on the job for a number of weeks now and will submit its results to us.

I am sure that we will find solutions to get forestry-related economic activity up and running again.

[Pulp and Paper Industry, May 7th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, as I just said, this is one of the subjects being addressed by the Canada-Quebec committee that is currently at work. But I too would like to quote Mr. Lazar.

He also said this morning:

Governments can provide a safety net that lessens the pain for displaced workers and prepares them for new jobs. They can also assist community adjustment. This is a role they are embracing and playing well and which was a large part of the last federal budget.

They need to look at what is in our budget, as Mr. Lazar said this morning.

[Pulp and Paper Industry, May 7th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.

As we announced previously, under the auspices of my colleague, the Minister of Natural Resources, we have put in place a Canada-Quebec task force in conjunction with the Government of Quebec, and it is working very hard on all forestry issues. We have entrusted it with six sectors of activity and it will be providing us with its findings by May 15. All of the data will be tabled before long.

[Pulp and Paper Industry, May 7th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, as I said, we will consider all possible solutions. Allow me to share a comment someone made recently.

The government did not kill the forestry industry; the market did. The government did not drop the prices on wood or pulp and paper; the market did. Our solutions have to address the real problem: the fact that nobody can buy our products because we are in the middle of a global recession.

That is what Avrim Lazar, president of the Forest Products Association of Canada said.

[Pulp and Paper Industry, May 7th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, we are very concerned about the issue the member raised. We are very concerned about the impact of these credits on Canada's forestry industry. We are looking into the matter and considering all possible solutions.

[Forestry Industry, April 30th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for his question.

We are taking action. We set up the Canada-Quebec task team, whose work will focus on six key areas, to come up with ideas to help the men and women who have been affected by changes in the forestry industry. There will be results.

We are not just talking about it; we are taking action.