Bill C-18 (Historical)

Marketing Freedom for Grain Farmers Act

An Act to reorganize the Canadian Wheat Board and to make consequential and related amendments to certain Acts

Part 1 of this enactment amends the Canadian Wheat Board Act to change the governance structure of the Canadian Wheat Board and to make other changes in preparation for the implementation of Parts 2 and 3. Part 2 replaces the Canadian Wheat Board Act with a new Act that continues the Canadian Wheat Board and charges it with the marketing of grain through voluntary pooling. Part 3 provides for the possible continuation of the Board under other federal legislation, while Part 4 provides for its winding up if no such continuation occurs. Finally, Part 5 provides for the repeal of the new Act enacted by Part 2.

Second reading

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

It is a question, Madam Speaker, and I do not blame you for the confusion, because the government is very antsy, given the interesting reaction it had.

It is interesting to note that today we have a bill—

[The Deputy Speaker, NDP, Denise Savoie]

Order, please. Questions and comments.

On a point of order, the hon. member for Wascana.

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Wascana, SK]

Madam Speaker, following a speech, which was the speech given by the member for Guelph, there is the normal question and comment period. That is what the member for Winnipeg North is endeavouring to do: participate in questions and comments.

[The Deputy Speaker, NDP, Denise Savoie]

Order. I would ask for a little order so that I can hear. I assumed the member was rising on a point of order. I am now calling for questions and comments and I will proceed in that order.

The hon. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources and for the Canadian Wheat Board.

[David Anderson, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources and for the Canadian Wheat Board]

Madam Speaker, I was very dismayed to hear my colleague from Guelph call for an end to debate on this bill. We have waited years to debate this bill, and now the Liberals do not want to debate it. We are very confused as to why they would not want to do that.

When I heard the member speak a little earlier, it was clear that one of the reasons they do not want to speak—

[The Deputy Speaker, NDP, Denise Savoie]

Order, please. This does not seem to be a point of order. Is it a question?

It is a question. I apologize.

[David Anderson, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

Madam Speaker, I am almost there.

As I heard the member for Guelph speak—

[The Deputy Speaker, NDP, Denise Savoie]

Is this on a point of order? The hon. member for Winnipeg North.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Yes, Madam Speaker, now it is a point of order.

I was up on my feet shortly after the vote was called. You had asked for questions and I had twice indicated that, yes, I was standing on a question.

What I want to suggest, Madam Speaker, is that you review what has taken place. On both occasions I made it very clear I was standing up for a question. On both occasions, Madam Speaker, you had canvassed to ask if there were questions on the bill, and I said yes.

It was the government, in defying what is truly correct in terms of democratic principles by bringing forward its motion, that caused a bit of excitement. It did not—

[The Deputy Speaker, NDP, Denise Savoie]

Order, please. I think the hon. member has made his point. We will indeed review the blues, but it is normally the procedure, when a member of a party speaks, to go to other members to ask the first question.

That is what I will do at the moment.

I would like to ask the parliamentary secretary to complete his question, so that we can move to an answer.

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

Madam Speaker, the parliamentary secretary said earlier that the Liberals moved the motion to shut down debate of the bill. I would like to make a correction. We wanted to adjourn the debate today but we did not want to shut down debate of the bill. I would ask the member to withdraw that statement. We want to debate and they do not want anything to do with it.

[The Deputy Speaker, NDP, Denise Savoie]

Very respectfully, this is not a point of order, once again. I would like the hon. parliamentary secretary to complete his question, so that we—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[David Anderson, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

Madam Speaker, I appreciate your patience. I understand why it would be tried.

I just got a great reminder in the last couple of days as to why we need to move as quickly as possible on this issue. I finally got to see the teddy bears that the Wheat Board has sent to the opposition. They are little teddy bears eight inches high. They have a little vest on them that sells the Canadian Wheat Board.

Farmers get up early in the morning. Early in the spring they go out in the mud and seed their crops. The Wheat Board takes their money and buys teddy bears. Farmers spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on input for their crop, and the Wheat Board spends their money on teddy bears.

Farmers work all night to get their crops in. The Wheat Board spends their money on teddy bears. There is no clearer reason—

[The Deputy Speaker, NDP, Denise Savoie]

Order, please. The hon. member for Guelph in response.