MP Dominic LeBlanc: An Embarrassed Embarrassment

The venerable Dominic LeBlanc, Liberal trade critic, continues to embarrass himself and his party in opposition to the Softwood Lumber Agreement. In an exchange on Tuesday in Parliament, M. LeBlanc implied that a 15% export tax was engineered to be a "cash cow" for the federal government. Before pointing out that Atlantic Canada overwhelmingly supports the deal, government Trade Minister Emerson corrected M. LeBlanc: "Mr. Speaker, the hon. member should know, if in fact he has read the softwood lumber agreement, that any export tax revenue will be flowed back, …to the provinces."

<>Indeed M. LeBlanc went on to attack the Trade Minister personally, accusing him of “being a Republican lackey willing to do the United States' dirty work” because he had successfully brokered the deal after crossing the aisle to sit as a Conservative. One could almost feel Dominic’s face turning red when Minister Emerson retorted: “Mr. Speaker, that hon. member should come clean. That [Liberal] party was prepared to settle for far less than this government has achieved in negotiations with the United States. That member and those who vote against that agreement are supporting continued litigation, dumping duties that will climb, and dislocation in the softwood lumber industry in Canada, and in Atlantic Canada in particular. <>David Emerson was an acknowledged expert on softwood lumber when sitting as a Liberal, and certainly was in a position to know the state of negotiations by the Liberal government. The unmitigated gall of Liberal MP LeBlanc in characterizing the current Conservative deal as a “sell out” is astounding! <>

The embarrassment grew as MP Gerald Keddy pointed out that, while Dominic LeBlanc and his Liberal pals opposed the agreement, the Maritime Lumber Bureau supports it! Mr. Keddy went on to say: “The member for Beauséjour has praised the deal stating ‘as an Atlantic Canadian, I'm certainly pleased that this agreement protects the rights we have fought hard to ensure are protected’. However, now he is indicating that he will be voting against the deal.” According to Campbell Morrison (Times & Transcript, Sept. 20, A4), “Outside the Commons, Keddy said that LeBlanc should put partisan politics aside and support local industry. ‘There is a time to play politics and a time to do the right thing. This is a good deal for Canada and a good deal for Atlantic Canada,’ Keddy said.” M. LeBlanc defended his position by saying that the Liberal opposition would not be "bullied and blackmailed by Prime Minister Stephen Harper." While acknowledging that the Softwood Lumber Agreement has the support of Maritime industry, M. LeBlanc pointed out that it has some opponents in PQ, ON and BC. (As if any negotiated settlement would have unanimous consent!).<>

The Conservative softwood agreement “puts over $5 billion Canadian cash into the pockets of Canadian companies. It creates stability and it protects provincial forest management policies.” Furthermore it “has over 90% support from the industry in Canada and over 90% support from the industry in British Columbia. The agreement has the very strong support of the government of British Columbia and the governments of other lumber producing provinces.” The agreement is overwhelmingly supported by provincial governments and industry across Canada and in the Maritimes. It is absurd that Liberal MP’s like Brian Murphy and Dominic LeBlanc would stand shoulder to shoulder in opposition, simply because they want to prove that PM Harper can’t bully them! So much for representing the best interests of your constituents. <>

-TruBlue