These comments are direct quotations from the Hansard
documents.
Cash Flow Business
Mr. Gerry Ritz (Battlefords—Lloydminster,
CPC): Mr. Speaker, agriculture is a cash flow business like any other.
Due to a single case of BSE, that lifeline has been cut. AIDA, CFIP and
now CAISP are all Liberal programs that failed to deliver and do little to
address a crisis like BSE.
Why does the new agriculture minister carry on the old Liberal tradition
of advancing programs that never reach the farm gate?
Hon. Bob Speller (Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Lib.): Mr.
Speaker, I am certain there is not a member in the House who does not feel
for the farmers, the farm families and indeed the communities across this
country impacted by the BSE situation.
The Government of Canada takes this situation very seriously as evidenced
by the work of the Prime Minister and other ministers on this, to work
toward getting that border open.
In the meantime, these are difficult times for Canadian farmers and we
will do everything within our power to ensure that the impact this is
having on them is not an impact that will remove them out of the industry.
Mr. Gerry Ritz (Battlefords—Lloydminster, CPC): Mr. Speaker, the
new minister claims he is a big listener and another committee will be
structured; however, the industry out there is more interested in what he
will do. Actions speak a lot louder than weasel words.
The head of the Alberta Cattle Feeders' Association said yesterday that
his industry can survive another 45 days under the Liberal government. The
clock is ticking.
When will the minister announce his new plan and the budget to go along
with it? When will he do that?
Hon. Bob Speller (Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Lib.): Mr.
Speaker, what the Government of Canada did first and foremost was to sit
down with the industry to get an understanding as to where it saw the role
of the federal government.
We then took the responses from the industry which told us that we needed
to get out to market Canadian beef around the world. This is why I, along
with one of the member's colleagues and another one of my colleagues went
to Japan. We went to Korea and Washington.
In fact, in Washington, we received agreement from the governments of the
United States and Mexico to work together on a North American strategy.
This is an issue for all farmers in North America and it is one of--
The Speaker: The hon. member for Roberval.
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