When you have a good report, Mr. Chair, it speaks for itself.
Anyway, Mr. Minister, welcome. I know that certainly your heart is in the right place in doing what you can for the farm community, but you're dealing with a tough crowd in terms of your cabinet and even the department.
I've been fairly open about this. I believe we've seen a lot of wordsmithing from the new government on what they're doing for the farm community; the impression is left with the general public that they're doing much more than they really are, starting with the budget. The budgetary announcements by Minister Flaherty left the impression that you were putting more money out there for farmers, and actually there is less money than was committed the previous year.
I have a few specific questions.
Certainly the impression was left with the farmers who were demonstrating on the Hill that there would be immediate assistance for spring. We haven't seen any of that money, and there really is nothing there in terms of immediate assistance for spring. So on your $1.5 billion you claim, I have two specifics on that. First, will any of that money be there to meet spring bills? We're beyond the need for cash now. Will any of that money be there to meet spring planting bills and spring bills? Second, on the low family farm income, is that a part of the $1.5 billion, or in addition to it?
Tied into that is the interest-free loan. I think you know—you've been in business, Mr. Minister—you can't borrow yourself out of debt. Your average Canadian out there actually believed, when you announced the $100,000, that was money from the Government of Canada to the farm community. It's farmers' own money. It's a good program, and we will work with you to try to get that legislation through rapidly. But the fact of the matter is, there is a break from government on interest, and it is really just an additional loan. Has the department done any analysis on how many farmers will not qualify for that interest advance?
I'm hearing from farmers out there that they're in a credit crunch. They haven't paid last year's interest cash advance; they won't qualify for this one. In terms of this announcement, has the department done any analysis on who will not be eligible for that money? You cannot borrow yourself out of debt. The impression has been left with the general public that you're dealing with the farm crisis, when in effect you're doing practically nothing.
I have more. Just as long as you don't give me a Ralph Goodale answer, Mr. Minister, we'll have enough time for another question.