Industry committee  Mr. Rota, thank you for the question. I don't think I said that.

Industry committee  I'm sorry. We'd like to keep both, and the way to do that is to ensure that companies are healthy and have access to capital.

Industry committee  Thanks for the question. I think you cited some numbers that are very true. These have been a very tough couple of years for the industry. You're very well aware of your riding, as are a number of other members around this table whose ridings have been directly impacted by what's happened to this industry, and of course our industry is not unique in the general economy more broadly.

Industry committee  It certainly speaks to the complexity of the issue, for sure. From our standpoint, I would re-emphasize the point that these have been very difficult times for our industry. We need the capital to retool and to reinvest in our mills in order to keep the jobs and the pensions that are there and get them back up onto a level footing.

Industry committee  No, I do not have an interpretation one way or the other. My interpretation, though, is from the street: what we are hearing anecdotally, from both our industry and from outside our industry, is that capital markets are nervous. That makes us nervous.

Industry committee  The street I'm referring to is Bay Street, the Royal Bank--those institutions that are our lifeblood.

Industry committee  Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you to the committee for this opportunity to appear before you today on this very important matter of Bill C-501. By way of introduction, the Forest Products Association of Canada is the national voice of Canada's wood, pulp, and paper producers.

International Trade committee  Absolutely. Of the $24 billion, as I say, 70% or so of that goes to the U.S., and I think we have to be realistic that for the foreseeable future, the lion's share of our product will continue to go to the U.S. It's an easy market to access; it makes sense. They build their houses out of wood, they need our wood, they don't have enough of their own wood, so it makes sense for us to access that market.

International Trade committee  The more we can knock down elsewhere, then it opens up markets for us. That's essentially the biggest obstacle in terms of opening up new markets, other than educating certain cultures that are not normally building with wood—but beyond that, knocking down tariffs, yes.

International Trade committee  There's not much more I can add. You're exactly right. It goes to the point I was making with Mr. Allen before, which is that we've got to grow the pie, and it's a global pie. The other factor that came into the equation of your story of how the product shifted south of the east coast is that over the years a significant number of new players came onto the market.

International Trade committee  Absolutely. I was not presumptive of the committee--

International Trade committee  Sorry. Yes.

International Trade committee  Currently, we are talking about paper and lumber.

International Trade committee  Yes.

International Trade committee  Currently, the market is worth $120 million. We sell only $8 million worth of products. So there is a potential for another—