Thank you for coming.
Thank you very much, Mr. Penner, for coming.
Yesterday, I spoke with farmers in northern Ontario. We all recognize that Quebec producers have it better than their counterparts in Ontario. The programs that were put in place in Quebec help the farmers, including the cattle farmers, which we used for our comparison.
Clearly, you do things that work well. You have this collective approach that you spoke of. I’d like to know more about what you said about the failure of voluntary agencies. I think that’s the key.
And here also, Mr. Penner, maybe we could get your thoughts on the Ontario Wheat Producers' Marketing Board, which has gone from 100% of the wheat crop down to as little as 13%; or in other words, the average has been just over 20% in the last three years. In other words, how effective is the voluntary board? And we'll get to that.
You are here. Your president, whom I met with our leader, Mr. Layton last week, is going to Manitoba this week in order to speak with the Canadian Wheat Board. You aren’t here to get yourself on TV or on the radio, so you evidently believe that this is an important issue. I’d like you to expand on this subject and to talk a little about the future.
How do you see the future of agriculture? Why do you think the Canadian Wheat Board will play an important role in the future?