These comments are direct quotations from the Hansard
documents.
Slaughter Facilities
Mr.
Leon Benoit (Vegreville—Wainwright, CPC): Mr. Speaker, the
government has stood by and watched for months now as the top brass at the
Canadian Food Inspection Agency have prevented the Blue Mountain packing
plant from opening. Cattlemen desperately need this plant. It is ready to
go. Inspectors on the ground have said so. The government continues to be
part of the problem instead of the solution.
In fact, how many plants has the CFIA approved in western Canada in the 18
months since the BSE crisis hit? The answer is none. Why is that?
Hon. Wayne Easter (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of
Agriculture and Agri-Food (Rural Development), Lib.): Mr. Speaker, I
am very well aware of the issue the hon. member talks about. In fact, I
have talked to some of the investors who are involved. CFIA has a job to
do and that is the protection of food and safety and the security of food
for Canadians and in terms of our exports. It has set up a process in
which it will send an expert out to the plant on Monday to try to settle
the issues on the ground, but the bottom line has to be the protection of
the food and security of Canadians and in terms of our exports around the
world.
Mr. Larry Miller (Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, CPC): Mr. Speaker,
thousands of livestock producers in my riding and across this country are
suffering from this Liberal government's complete failure to address the
BSE crisis. It has consistently used the American election as an excuse
for not challenging the border closure. With the U.S. election now over,
this government can no longer stall in taking further action on the BSE
crisis.
I ask the agriculture minister, why has this government refused to stand
with producers by taking effective trade action through the WTO or NAFTA?
Hon. Wayne Easter (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of
Agriculture and Agri-Food (Rural Development), Lib.): Mr. Speaker, if
there has ever been a government that has stood with its producers on a
tough issue, this is the government that has. Not only have we made 150
interventions with the Americans, with officials and regulatory
authorities, we have actually, with the provinces, put $2.3 billion of ad
hoc programming on top of the regular safety nets for producers.
We recognize that there is a difficult situation out there and we are
working with producers to cure it. We are trying to increase the slaughter
capacity. We are trying to improve the market with the fed and feeder
set-aside programs and--
The Speaker: The hon. member for Ottawa South.
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