International Trade committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. I would like to speak against this latest chapter in railroading. Mr. Chair, what we saw last Thursday and what we're seeing today is the railroading through of legislation that has profound consequences for the softwood industry and for softwood communities across the country.

International Trade committee  I would like to move that the BC First Nations Forestry Council be invited to testify before this committee. I will speak to the motion. As you know, Mr. Chair, this week the BC First Nations Forestry Council, which is an organization sanctioned by the B.C. First Nations Leadership Council, representing virtually all B.C. first nations, heard that the Standing Committee on International Trade was moving forward to clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C-24.

International Trade committee  I would now like to move the first motion: That the Standing Committee on International Trade hear testimony from those organizations, businesses and municipalities that have recently written to the Committee to request to testify on Bill C-24, and that they be heard either in person, or by video, or telephone conference before the beginning of clause by clause consideration of Bill C-24 by this Committee.

Committees of the House  Having been a former musician and having travelled the country for some 20 years, I can tell the House that nobody is more committed to the market approach than musicians because that is how we make our living. We believe in a free and open market, but sometimes we need government to regulate it to ensure that it is in fact free and open. Whether we are talking about musicians or about getting agricultural products on the shelves at grocery stores, we know that the problem with our markets right now is that they do not have access and choice that consumers demand.

International Trade committee  We have witnesses on Tuesday, Mr. Chair, and for us to say we set a deadline for amendments and then have witnesses who I think will be adding a lot of content to Bill C-24, it just doesn't make sense. It's not logical. It doesn't make sense to say “Well, we appreciate your testimony, but we've already closed off the possibility for amendments”.

International Trade committee  I'm suggesting that we have the trade officials back on Thursday. There are still questions to be asked there. I'm also suggesting that Mr. Feldman, who can't come on Thursday, appear next Tuesday.

International Trade committee  I'm not sure I follow you, Mr. Chair. So Thursday we would have the trade officials back?

International Trade committee  Since Mr. Feldman can't make it to Ottawa on Thursday, I'd like to suggest that the three witnesses I've put forward should be heard next Tuesday, and that the trade officials should come back. There are a lot of questions we still have to ask on this briefing on Bill C-24, and I've not exhausted my questions by any means.

Export and Import of Rough Diamonds Act  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to speak to Bill S-36, an act to amend the export and import of rough diamonds act. The act would serve to help us meet our commitments under the Kimberley process certification scheme. I would like to say at the beginning that in this corner of the House we are in favour, in principle, of the bill moving forward but we are hoping at the committee stage there will be an examination of this important legislation, perhaps looking at the potential for improving it.

Softwood Lumber Products Export Charge Act, 2006  Mr. Chair, I have the utmost respect for the member from Sherbrooke, who has done good work as part of the Standing Committee on International Trade. I listened with great interest to his speech about Bill C-24. Despite my respect for the member, I must say that I do not understand the Bloc Québécois' position at all.

Privilege  Mr. Speaker, the Minister of International Trade went overboard, although I understand he is desperate, defending a very bad deal, but his comments in question period today were completely unacceptable in a parliamentary context. He has to respect members of Parliament. Yes, we will be posing tough questions and if he cannot answer them that is his problem, but the personal insults that he just leveled during this question period were inappropriate.

Softwood Lumber  Quite the contrary, Mr. Speaker. Last Friday, as the minister knows, the Court of International Trade ruled that Canadians would get every single penny back that was illegally paid, not give away a billion dollars. This billion dollar botched sellout by the minister is the only thing stopping Canadians from justice.

International Trade committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. There are other issues that we will be dealing with as a committee, but no issue is as important as the issue of softwood lumber. I know in my case in British Columbia, our premier has been asking for clarification around the softwood lumber agreement. So this is the number one issue in international trade.

Textile Industry  In the riding of Papineau, which I represent, almost all the jobs related to textiles and apparel have been lost. How long can the 200 workers at the Peter Stone Fashion factory hold on to their jobs? In any event, the fact that prior to my election in 2006, there was a Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade in the riding did not prove very useful.

Softwood Lumber  Mr. Speaker, I understand why the trade minister does not want to answer any questions on this. This deal stinks so bad that even the minister should run away from it. The minister sold out the voters of Vancouver Kingsway. He sold out British Columbians. Now he is in the process of selling out all Canadians.