Softwood Lumber  Mr. Speaker, it is important and we understand the demands the forestry industry is making and we are taking action. Allow me to remind the leader of the Bloc Québécois that in our last budget we took action. We made a promise to have an older workers assistance program. It is a promise of the new government and we will keep it, just like the other promises.

Softwood Lumber  Mr. Speaker, contrary to what my Liberal colleague seems to think, it is important to say that this government has accomplished in six months what the previous Liberal government was unable to accomplish in four years. We have settled the softwood lumber dispute, and we have put more than $5 billion Canadian back into industry pockets.

Softwood Lumber  Mr. Speaker, I am very surprised to hear my colleague talk about foot dragging on this issue. Thirteen long years of corrupt Liberal government meant that the softwood lumber problem remained unresolved. In just six months, we have resolved it. We are bringing back the money, we are bringing back stability and a profitable future for the people in the softwood lumber industry.

Softwood Lumber  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to respond to this question in the House because, under the Prime Minister's leadership, we worked for several months on a softwood lumber agreement that would address all of the concerns of the forestry industry. An agreement has been reached and we are aware that it must be implemented as soon as possible.

Softwood Lumber  Mr. Speaker, we negotiated an agreement with the Americans that is in the best interests of the Canadian industry. What is disappointing about the Bloc Québécois is that Quebeckers know that the Bloc Québécois remains on the sidelines and could never have negotiated an agreement such as this one.

Industry  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to inform my colleague that I met with representatives of the aerospace sector yesterday, here in Ottawa. They told me that they were very happy with our decision to invest in the armed forces and in tactical aircraft, and to invest over $13 billion that will benefit the aerospace industry across Canada.

Industry  Mr. Speaker, I would like to tell my hon. colleague that the program still exists. Today, we are investing $275 million in this program. We reviewed the program, and here is what we did: we took the necessary measures to ensure that any investment of taxpayer dollars in the program is transparent and that it is money well spent.

Government Programs  Mr. Speaker, I am proud of our record. In its last budget, this government managed taxpayer dollars responsibly. We put money back in Canadians' pockets. We lowered the GST and reduced income and corporate taxes. My colleague did not support a single one of these fiscal measures.

Government Programs  Mr. Speaker, our government announced in the Speech from the Throne that our priorities would include accountability, transparency and the efficient use of taxpayer money. Furthermore, in the last budget—the 2006 budget—the government promised to review programs and ensure that every dollar went toward producing real results for real Canadians, for taxpayers.

Softwood Lumber  As soon as possible, I hope, Mr. Speaker, once this House has brought the softwood lumber agreement into effect. Companies in Canada, Quebec and Beauce will be getting more money than they ever got under the previous government, because the previous government never reached an agreement with the Americans.

Softwood Lumber Products Export Charge Act, 2006  Mr. Speaker, I am happy with this agreement and especially with how it was negotiated. My hon. colleague, the Minister of International Trade, negotiated this agreement very skilfully. To answer my colleague's question, it is important to note that the softwood lumber industry did not ask us for loan guarantees, but repayment guarantees.

Softwood Lumber Products Export Charge Act, 2006  Mr. Speaker, I would like to inform you that I am going to share my time with the hon. member for Simcoe—Grey. It is my pleasure to rise today in the House on Bill C-24. I want to ask all the hon. members in the House to join me in supporting this bill. Why? As most of my colleagues have pointed out here in the House today, the softwood lumber agreement benefits the industry, consumers and Canada as a whole.

Teleglobe Canada  Mr. Speaker, it is important to note that Canada was built with foreign capital. The coast-to-coast railway was built with money from England and from the U.S. We are open to foreign capital. That being said, Canada does have the Investment Canada Act, which we enforce. This law states that any foreign investment must be reviewed for net benefits to Canada and to Quebec.

Softwood Lumber  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to have the opportunity to comment on this issue this morning. I appreciate my colleague's question about the forest industry, which gives us the opportunity to tell Canadians that 90% of the country's forest industry supports the agreement because it will bring back stable employment and give the forest industry a better idea of what to expect from the economic situation.

Softwood Lumber  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to respond to the question posed by my Bloc Québécois colleague, because this afternoon in the House, the Bloc Québécois will finally vote with us to help workers. I know that the Bloc Québécois will show, in this House, that our party is working in the best interests of Quebeckers, within the federation, and that we are very useful when it comes to fighting for Quebeckers' interests.