Thank you, Mr. Chair. My questions will be mainly to Mr. Johnson.
The minister, in his media statement on November 1 announcing your appointment, stated, “Mr. Johnson's considerable experience in the grain business will be a tremendous asset to the Board of Directors of the CWB.” In the note along with the minister's statement there is reference that you spent 20 years with Saskatchewan Wheat Pool.
According to The Western Producer on December 23, 1999, in the article saying that “Johnson was fired” from Sask Wheat Pool, I understand that the board of Sask Wheat Pool “took the action because of the pool's poor performance”, an area you were responsible for.
Were you fired by the Sask Wheat Pool for poor performance? If not, have you taken legal action against Sask Wheat Pool and The Western Producer for stating that you were? In your interview--I expect you were given an interview with the minister--did you inform the minister that you were in fact fired from Sask Wheat Pool for actions that resulted in the loss to Sask Wheat Pool of some $28.7 million in six months?