Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Good afternoon gentlemen. I have a simple question. Instead of talking about a Minister of Agriculture, I think we should talk about 1 federal agricultural minister and 10 provincial agriculture ministers. An amount totalling $4.5 billion has been allocated since 2005, but I don't think every province got what it was expecting. That might be the crux of the issue.
I have nothing against asking the federal government to give $1 billion to a western province for disaster relief, for a flood or a wind storm or a drought. Last year, in Quebec, the potato problem cost $500 million. The federal government should also provide compensation in cases such as that one.
The programs should be extended, but each province should be aware of what the federal government will be providing in terms of subsidies. It would mean putting all of the money into a pot to be distributed when things turn bad. Then the federal government would no longer have to provide subsidies. What do you think of that?