These comments are direct quotations from the Hansard
documents.
Cull Cows
Ms.
Monique Guay (Rivière-du-Nord, BQ): Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Quebec
minister of agriculture, Françoise Gauthier, gave assurances that the
federal minister responsible for Quebec would do his part. The Minister of
Agriculture and Agri-Food, on the other hand, says that no decision has
been made regarding the nature and amount of assistance he plans for
Quebec's farmers.
Can the minister responsible for Quebec confirm his commitment and provide
the House with some details?
[English]
Hon. Andy Mitchell (Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Lib.):
Mr. Speaker, as I have said on many occasions in the House, the federal
government has been fully engaged in the province of Quebec in providing
assistance both in a general nature and in terms of BSE.
I think the hon. member is referring specifically to the issue of cull
cows and the work that is being done in that respect. We have said that
the federal government understands that is a particular concern in Quebec,
as it is in other provinces across the country, and that it is important
for us to take measures to assist in that respect.
[Translation]
Ms. Monique Guay (Rivière-du-Nord, BQ): Mr. Speaker, we know that
the aid package will cost around $16 million to ensure that farmers
receive the floor price.
Therefore, can the minister confirm that he will make a 60-40 commitment,
that is with the federal government putting in 60% and Quebec 40%?
[English]
Hon. Andy Mitchell (Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Lib.):
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is correct in that historically the share
between the provinces and the federal government is normally 60:40. In
this particular instance, there is at this point in time no specific
request of the federal government. We understand that there is a
particular issue. We will work with our colleagues in the province of
Quebec and with producers in Quebec as we will work with producers and
provinces right across this country to deal with the issue of cull cows.
[Translation]
Ms. Pauline Picard (Drummond, BQ): Mr. Speaker, not only are the
existing programs poorly suited to the Quebec situation, but they are
temporary and will end in February.
Is the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food ready to make a commitment
not only to cover 60% of the costs, but also to ensure that the programs
lasts until the floor price of 42 cents is reached, which would be in
about eight months?
[English]
Hon. Andy Mitchell (Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Lib.):
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is not correct when she talks about a
February date. Our CAIS program, which is an income support program, is a
permanent program of the Government of Canada. It does not expire in
February. The BSE programming that we put in place on September 10 will
run over the next year and a half. It does not expire in February.
We are determined to deal with the issue of cull cows in Quebec. There are
other issues that will impact that and we will be taking those into
account as well.
[Translation]
Ms. Pauline Picard (Drummond, BQ): Mr. Speaker, it must not be
forgotten that Quebec's farmers have lost $241 million since the beginning
of the crisis—for which they are in no way responsible. The possible
solutions may make corrections for the future, but can do nothing for the
past.
Does the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food not agree that $241 million
in losses fully justifies the implementation of specific measures to cover
this loss of income suffered by Quebec's farming community?
[English]
Hon. Andy Mitchell (Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Lib.):
Mr. Speaker, once again the hon. member is simply not accurate.
The income support programs that the government has put in place have been
of assistance to producers in Quebec in the past and will be of value to
them in the future. The cull animal program that we put in place
specifically to deal with BSE has applied to producers in Quebec. The
transitional industry support program that we put in place last year has
applied directly to producers in Quebec as these programs have applied to
producers all across Canada.
The hon. member is simply incorrect. The federal government has been
assisting producers in Quebec and right across the country.
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