These comments are direct quotations from the Hansard
documents.
Injunction Against Border Opening
Ms. Belinda Stronach (Newmarket—Aurora,
CPC): Mr. Speaker, when a protectionist American cattle group filed an
injunction to keep the U.S. border closed to Canadian beef, Canada only
filed in a limited way as a friend of the court which the U.S. judge
turned down the very next day and to which Canada has not even appealed.
The Canadian food safety
system is on trial and the Government of Canada has not even requested the
opportunity to defend it.
Why has Canada not applied
for intervenor status to be present in the Montana courtroom to directly
defend Canada's interests?
Hon. Wayne Easter
(Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
(Rural Development), Lib.): Mr. Speaker, the fact is that Canada has
been defending Canadian beef producers' interests. We have taken strong
action with the Americans. We have taken strong action in the defence of
producers in terms of helping them in their financial trouble as a result
of the border closure. We have listened to the expert advice of Canadian
lawyers and American lawyers and we put forward an amicus brief to the
court.
We have been taking
action, not playing politics as members are trying to do on that side.
Ms. Diane Finley (Haldimand—Norfolk,
CPC): Mr. Speaker, an amicus brief status these days is like issuing a
news release and is just as effective.
It has been 701 days since
the U.S. border was closed to Canadian livestock. Since then the Liberal
government has failed to apply for intervenor status, not amicus status,
in the courtroom where a Montana judge has put the Canadian food safety
system on trial.
Why is the government
leaving it to the U.S. protectionist lobbies to explain our food safety
system to a U.S. judge?
Hon. Wayne Easter
(Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
(Rural Development), Lib.): Mr. Speaker, it is clearly our position to
get the border open as soon as possible and not play legal games like the
party opposite wants to do.
We have taken the best
advice available in the best interests of Canadian producers and we have
acted on it. On top of that, we have assisted producers in their time of
difficult financial trouble. The government is acting, not playing legal
games like members on that side want to do.
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