Stephen Harper

[Softwood Lumber, June 13th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, obviously we have no intention of working as quickly as possible. We intend to take the time we need to complete this agreement so as to represent the real interests of the Canadian industry and Quebec's industry.

I ask that the Bloc Québécois help us complete this agreement of which the vast majority of Quebec's forest industry is in favour.

[Softwood Lumber, June 13th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, the final phase of such a complex agreement takes time. Lawyers for other parties involved have to go over the all the documents, the details of this agreement, as well as the rules of application. We are taking the necessary time to do so.

[Softwood Lumber, June 13th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, the forest industry, including the Quebec forest industry, rejected the former Liberal government's plan. It wants us to solve this problem. Which is what we are currently doing and which is why we are taking the necessary time to conclude this agreement.

[Softwood Lumber, June 13th, 2006]

Once again, Mr. Speaker, this government is working hard. We are working with the industry and provinces to finalize the text that we agreed to some weeks ago. We expect all parties can and will abide by the agreements they made. We will reach a final agreement. The only people who will be disappointed are the members opposite who did such a terrible job of managing this file for 13 years.

[Softwood Lumber, June 13th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, the House will know that an agreement in principle was reached some weeks ago. Considerable work has been done, is being done and will be done to make sure we get a final legal text and operating rules that reflect that agreement in principle. Of course, we are confident that when that happens we will see the same provincial and industry support that we have seen all along.

[National Defence, June 12th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, the answer is no. We have never discussed these purchases with the United States. These are our decisions alone to make.

[The Environment, June 12th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I think the only one who has raised the debate about science in this Parliament is the hon. member.

This government is proceeding. That is why as I said we are proud to have undertaken actions and to have the support of the NDP for those.

There are things we will not do. For example, the hon. member for Etobicoke—Lakeshore, an aspirant to the Liberal leadership on the weekend, says that we need some form of carbon tax, I guess some kind of new national energy program. That is something this government will never do.

[The Environment, June 12th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, this government has already taken strong measures on climate change. The minister has been clear that later this year she will be bringing forward a clean air act to deal directly with pollution. Those will be coordinated with further actions on climate change and on greenhouse emissions, such as support that we have already done, such as support for public transit and support for renewable fuels. Once again I would like to thank the NDP for supporting those measures in the budget.

[Official Languages, June 12th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, the minister just said that the government intends to bring out a strategy in this regard.

For my part, I would add that the worst possible policy for francophones outside Quebec and francophones in the Canadian armed forces is certainly the separation of Quebec from Canada.

[Softwood Lumber, June 12th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I have to correct several pieces of misinformation. To start with, under this deal our producers will get back 80% of the duties that have been sitting in the pockets of the Americans while the Liberals were in power. I do not know where the Liberals get their numbers.

We know what they did to the softwood lumber industry in this country and we know that the only people they speak for are people like the member himself, Liberal lawyers who want to keep this litigation going on forever. We want the industry to benefit.