We are aware that these are income stabilization programs. Our farmers want to make as much as they can from the market. When you apply a single rate to all of the crops, you miss the mark. Some farms are in dire straits. A small amount of money will have very little impact and will not improve their financial situation. Other farms that have an acceptable income cycle will also receive money, but that will only help them keep their heads above water or give them a little breathing space.
It is hard to accept because we acknowledge that the federal government is providing large sums of money. We would like to have even more, particularly if we compare these amounts to what the Americans are doing, but we know that an effort is being made in that area. Unfortunately, the impact on the farms is not obvious. That part is not being recognized. In recent years, there have been farms that were unable to make it, in spite of government aid. There is some help with the companion programs in Quebec, but it is not enough because the Quebec government cannot, on its own, completely support these programs.