Canada-U.S. Relations  Mr. Speaker, we will always defend the interests of the forestry sector and the workers it employs. In a relationship as large as the one we have with the United States, we will always work together to solve and resolve issues. I will be speaking to my counterpart, the U.S. trade representative, later this afternoon, and I am pleased that tomorrow I will lead a team Canada group, which includes members from all sides of the House, to Washington to continue our government's advocacy and to stand up for Canadian interests.

Forestry Industry  Madam Speaker, softwood lumber is a priority for the government. I continue to work and speak with industry, and they know that we are standing by them. We of course, as I said, are actively challenging the unfair U.S. duties under NAFTA and CUSMA and before the WTO. This is also in close dialogue with industry.

Forestry Industry  Madam Speaker, let me begin by saying how pleased I am to have the opportunity to stand up again to speak on this very important issue. Before I do, I did not have the opportunity yet in this House to thank the people of Markham—Thornhill for electing me and placing their vote of confidence in me.

Small Business  Mr. Speaker, I thank small businesses all across the country so much for their incredible resilience during what was a terribly difficult time. I am seeing businesses that have gone digital, businesses and entrepreneurs that have been even more entrepreneurial. We are making a $4-billion investment to help more businesses across the country to go digital, so that wonderful main street store can offer those services and those products digitally.

Canada-U.S. Relations  Mr. Speaker, I have had an opportunity to speak to the U.S. trade representative, in fact, on many occasions. Absolutely softwood lumber, the forestry sector and its workers are a priority for this government. We will always stand up for this sector. We are very disappointed at the duties and tariffs that have been levelled on us.

Canada-U.S. Relations  Mr. Speaker, Canada's forestry sector provides hundreds of thousands of jobs for middle-class Canadians in communities across the country. These duties are unjustified, and they will hurt workers and businesses in both our countries. We will keep fighting for Canada's softwood lumber industry and its workers.

Canada-U.S. Relations  Mr. Speaker, I know how important this is to the hon. member and to all of us. We absolutely want an outcome that is acceptable to the Canadian industry and to the workers. We are working with the Canadian lumber industry. Its people will be the ones to provide us with the negotiating mandate on this issue.

Canada-U.S. Relations  Mr. Speaker, my message to the forestry sector industry and the workers is that we will continue to stand up for their interests. We are interested in an outcome that is acceptable to the forestry industry and to the workers. We are going to work with the Canadian softwood lumber industry, as we have always done.

Canada-U.S. Relations  Mr. Speaker, I think Canadians will know who is defending them and who has always defended them. When we retaliated against the U.S. on unfair U.S. aluminum and steel tariffs, the current Leader of the Opposition urged us to stop fighting back. When we were negotiating for a better CUSMA deal, the Conservatives wanted Canada to capitulate to Donald Trump.

Canada-U.S. Relations  Mr. Speaker, our government recognizes that the forestry and softwood lumber industry is important to Quebec. We will continue to stand up for resilience and innovation within the Quebec forestry industry, which exports $10 million worth of forestry products annually and creates jobs for more than 60,000 workers in the province.

Canada-U.S. Relations  Mr. Speaker, our government will always stand up for the forestry sector, and we will always stand up for its workers. We presented challenges before CUSMA at the WTO, where it has been ruled that Canada is a fair trading partner. We absolutely denounce these tariffs. They are unfair, they are unjustified and they hurt workers and businesses on both sides of the border.

Canada-U.S. Relations  Mr. Speaker, I have been speaking to the industry, including the industry represented and advocated by the indigenous softwood lumber members. The Conservatives can shout talking points all they like, but it is the Canadian softwood lumber industry, including the indigenous softwood lumber industry, that will give me and this government a negotiating mandate on this issue.

Canada-U.S. Relations  Mr. Speaker, this issue is a priority for our government. It is why we are pursuing litigation under chapter 10 of CUSMA—

Canada-U.S. Relations  Mr. Speaker, this issue is important. It is why we are pursuing it under chapter 10. However, this is only possible because this government fought hard to keep the dispute settlement mechanism in the new trade agreement so that we could stand up for Canadians. I want to remind the House and Canadians that the Conservatives urged the government to capitulate to Donald Trump and get us a weaker deal.

Canada-U.S. Relations  Mr. Speaker, I look forward to working with the hon. member as he is my hon. critic. In a relationship as large and significant as the one that Canada has with the United States, of course there are challenges. However, we have worked together over many years to resolve many of these challenges and we have been successful.