Crucial Fact

  • His favourite word was system.

Last in Parliament April 1997, as Liberal MP for Souris—Moose Mountain (Saskatchewan)

Lost his last election, in 1997, with 27% of the vote.

Statements in the House

Marjorie Lavallee November 18th, 1996

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Mrs. Marjorie Lavallee, my constituent, an astounding volunteer who recently travelled to Bolivia on an assignment with the Canadian Executive Services Organization.

CESO volunteer advisers are professionally skilled men and women, usually retired, who willingly share their years of experience with needy businesses and organizations in developing nations.

Mrs. Lavallee's job was to assess the Bolivian government's indigenous peoples education review program. She used her own experience as an active participant in reforming Canada's aboriginal educational system.

I am proud to have a constituent who takes an active part in Canada's efforts to stimulate development in disadvantaged economies.

United Way October 30th, 1996

Mr. Speaker, the city of Estevan, Saskatchewan has recently completed its 20th anniversary of the United Way radio and television 36-hour fundraising marathon. Between October 18 and 19, Estevan helped to raise $144,000 for the United Way, exceeding its goal by $14,000.

After 20 years Estevan, a city with a population of 11,000, has contributed $1,750,000 and has collected nearly 100 per cent of its pledges through the years. The United Way in Estevan has been the first in Canada to reach its goal 19 out of 20 times since the drive was first established. No other community in Canada or for that matter in North America can beat this record of raising money for the needed agencies of the United Way.

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the generous and hard working people of Estevan and area who donate so much of their time and money to the United Way.

Firearms October 1st, 1996

Mr. Speaker, all Canadians understand and appreciate that law, order and respect for the individual are important components in a free and democratic society. I believe Canadians would react very strongly to anyone or anything that would threaten our quality of life which is based on, among other things, our respect for law and order.

It is true that not all laws are popular with all Canadians. However, by respecting these laws we guarantee order in our society. Anyone who intentionally encourages defiance or disrespect for these laws would be acting irresponsibly and should be denounced.

Last month the Reform member for Yorkton-Melville visited my riding of Souris-Moose Mountain in order to advise people not to respect Bill C-68. I find this action irresponsible and now wonder if the leader of the Reform Party agrees with the member that it is not necessary to respect the law. If not, he should say so.

Supply June 19th, 1996

Mr. Speaker, let me say something about the marketing system. They can sell into Ontario but they will go through the Canadian Wheat Board. They can go through the Canadian Wheat Board. That is the system set in place.

If the members wants to set up a new system as he is suggesting, it will not happen while we are around. We support the Canadian Wheat Board. If the hon. member does not like it, it is too bad.

I likely travel more than most of them. That is not unique. I go about my riding. I can assure the House that the vast majority of farmers, and my son-in-law is a large scale farmer, support the Canadian Wheat Board and single desk selling.

Supply June 19th, 1996

Mr. Speaker, it is likely that he wanted to report on Tom Dooley rather than Al Dooley. The hon. member made a reference to studies. We told him that three independent people took at look at the Canadian Wheat Board. One was from his province of Alberta, one from Manitoba and one from Saskatchewan. They said the Canadian Wheat Board was doing an excellent job and gave the facts. They do not want to listen. Talk about nonsense. He certainly captured that event very well.

If he does not know Al Dooley he should check with Tom Dooley because they are likely in the same boat. I am suggesting the Canadian Wheat Board is a very capable and honourable approach to marketing.

When the committee comes forward with its report we will make changes to move into the 21st century. The minister said he would. If we are patient and listen to the proposals, we will see some positive, constructive changes to the Canadian Wheat Board.

Supply June 19th, 1996

Mr. Speaker, the motion put forward today by the member for Kindersley-Lloydminster appears reasonable on the face of it. Indeed, it sounds reasonable that for a two-year period the Canadian Wheat Board could allow farmers, if they choose to do so, to sell their wheat and barley outside the jurisdiction of the board, if they thought it was a good idea at that particular time.

Let me point out that this motion represents a piecemeal and a cavalier approach to the serious business of marketing Canadian grains around the world, and the serious business of one of the top four or five sectors in the Canadian economy, agriculture and food.

There is a lot of good news in agriculture and food these days. First, prices for wheat and barley are higher than they have been for some time. After years of low prices, competing with the treasuries of the United States and the European Union which used massive amounts of export subsidies to keep the price of wheat down, prairie grain farmers are reaping the long overdue rewards of good prices.

Prairie grain farmers are reaping these rewards and that is good news for all Canadians. The world stocks of wheat are low, lower than they have been for a long time. Compounding this situation is a less than average winter wheat crop in the United States. That means low inventories and strong prices.

For the coming crop year which begins August 1, 1966, we are forecasting the price of a tonne of spring wheat at more than $260. That compares with just $134 a tonne in 1991-92 and $157 a tonne in the 1992-93 crop year.

Barley prices too are near record highs. The average price of feed barley for the three years between 1991 and 1994 was about $100 a tonne. For this coming crop year we are predicting the price to range from $135 to $155. Those good prices are benefiting all grain farmers, not just those who live along the 49th parallel. Perhaps it is the bonanza atmosphere after so many years in the doldrums that is fueling some of this short term, quick response from the other side.

Second, there have been many important and dramatic changes in agriculture over the last few years: a new world trading agreement and major policies changes within Canada, such as the end of the western grain transportation benefit. High grain prices, coupled with these changes and others are creating a real sense of optimism for grain farmers.

In fact, there is a groundswell of optimism throughout the agriculture and food sector as a whole. Between 600 and 700 who live, work and influence the agriculture sector will be gathering in Winnipeg next week to celebrate the excellence of Canadian agri-food and to collectively work on a business plan that focuses on maximizing the opportunities that abound for Canadian producers and companies at home and abroad. Good prices and good times do not necessarily last very long and now is a fortuitous time to work on those long term plans.

Turning specifically to grain marketing, any changes in the Canadian grain marketing system should be thoughtful and carefully reasoned with an eye on the long term prosperity of grain farmers, the prairie economy and to the overall benefit of all Canadians.

My colleague, the hon. Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food has taken a thoughtful approach in pursuing through the establishment of the western grain marketing panel an exclusive process

that has given all farmers a chance to put forward their views on the marketing of grains. It will be a thoughtful approach that will consider the benefits for that economy across the prairies, not just for those in a particular backyard when it comes to making changes in the marketing system that has served prairie farmers very well for more than half a century.

We are not squandering good times by making rash choices about the future. We are carefully exploring all points of view, all of the relevant facts, before proposing changes to the marketing of Canadian wheat and barley. No change will be made in an isolated, vague way which responds to the issues of the moment or the issues of one set of lobbyists.

It is a curious time for the opposition to bring this matter to the floor of the House of Commons when the western grain marketing panel is so close to completing its task.

The minister expects the panel to deliver its report in the next couple of weeks. He is eagerly awaiting the panel's report and will respond in his usual judicious and thoughtful manner. I urge members to defeat this motion.

As I travel throughout my riding, a rural agricultural riding in Saskatchewan, I do not get the response that some of the members from the third party suggest, that the Canadian Wheat Board should be destroyed. That is absolute nonsense.

A gentleman from Minnesota talked about one concern which he wrote about in a letter to the Western Producer . He said: ``I sure would keep the Canadian Wheat Board if I were a Canadian. I have been on the Minnesota Wheat Growers Board for the last three years. Not one board member was in favour of working for a fair price for wheat in Washington. Your farmers in Canada should work together to protect your own interests. By the way I don't like those Canadian farmers hauling their wheat across the border in violation of your laws''.

It seems passing strange that our American counterparts who have tremendous opposition to the Canadian Wheat Board are now finding solace in our friends in the third party. If it were such a poor system, do you think they would be complaining? In objecting to our Canadian Wheat Board, I doubt it very much.

I know the leader of the third party was in the United States. He suggested they should remove the irritant, the Canadian Wheat Board. However, when he returned home he suggested that a party based in the prairie provinces would not side with U.S. grain growers. I wonder how our friends in the third party are going to set the record straight. Either they are in favour of the American system and Canada abandoning our excellent wheat board or they are suggesting that we wait until the minister comes through with the report and he will take the appropriate action.

Petitions June 19th, 1996

Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I have three petitions to present on behalf of residents of Souris-Moose Mountain and Regina. The petitioners call upon the government not to support the Newfoundland school issue.

Agriculture May 29th, 1996

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food.

In the last two budgets the government has implemented big changes to Canadian agriculture, including the reduction or elimination of previous subsidy programs. The government has also committed itself to adaptation measures to ease the process away from subsidization.

What is the government going to implement to commit itself to help farmers adapt to the new reality?

Petitions May 17th, 1996

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I have the pleasure to present a second petition with regard to the tax on gasoline.

Petitions May 17th, 1996

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I have the pleasure to present two petitions. The first is with regard to Bill C-33.