Mr. Brendan Lacey:

The budget was for 7,000 ha. The issue that arises is one of confidence among those who are embarking on the job of planting. There have been inconsistencies during the years with regard to policy and uncertainty as to what resources would be available in the future. The problem is that when one is making a lifetime decision to plant, one must be confident about what will happen in the 40 year lifespan of the trees one plants. If one examines the framework of the Bill, it has many areas of administrative burden that could impact on what a person who has committed resources to planting a forest and leaving it in place for the long term will receive. There are many question marks against where one could be hit and what losses one could face in the future.