Discussion · Government Orders
Christine Normandin Bloc Québécois
“The government should give businesses money to help them pay for unfair duties. This would cost the government nothing in the end, because it would get the money back once trade courts rule on the disputes. We sent this idea to the government, but it has not even answered us.”
“Madam Speaker, a lot of people must be thinking that it is time something was done for them as well. Earlier on, we were talking about the long-standing softwood lumber crisis, which started long before the tariff crisis and for which we submitted proposals to the government. Furthermore, if the government gave businesses an advance to offset the countervailing duties and give them some breathing room, it would be a zero-cost measure, since we know that international trade tribunals will eventually hand down a decision and the government will be able to pay itself back out of the proceeds. These proposals would help our sectors and cost nothing in the end. However, we are having a hard time getting so much as an acknowledgement of receipt from the government. I think that a number of sectors must be justifiably disappointed by some of the government’s actions.”
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Madam Speaker, a lot of people must be thinking that it is time something was done for them as well. Earlier on, we were talking about the long-standing softwood lumber crisis, which started long before the tariff crisis and for which we submitted proposals to the government. Furthermore, if the government gave businesses an advance to offset the countervailing duties and give them some breathing room, it would be a zero-cost measure, since we know that international trade tribunals will eventually hand down a decision and the government will be able to pay itself back out of the proceeds. These proposals would help our sectors and cost nothing in the end. However, we are having a hard time getting so much as an acknowledgement of receipt from the government. I think that a number of sectors must be justifiably disappointed by some of the government’s actions.