Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Ladies and gentlemen, thanks for being here today.
Over the last few days we've heard lots of good suggestions. In some ways, maybe we've created more questions than answers. But one thing we did hear the other day, and I think it's worth noting here, is that there are many pieces to the puzzle for solving the problems in agriculture.
One that I know a young lady told us—I believe it was yesterday in Alberta—is that awareness and educating our urban cousins is part of the puzzle. I think that needs to be noted today.
I see more media here today than I've seen anywhere we've been in our travels. I think that says something for you producers and groups here in Saskatchewan, because the media does have a role and a responsibility in helping us as politicians and you as agriculture groups to educate.
Another thing we've heard here, and I think it's starting to be a fairly consistent thing--Mr. Wildeman, you commented on it—is about having a national disaster program. I agree with you 100%. One question we need to sort out is what, exactly, a disaster is. You mentioned some of them. Two of the most recent ones were BSE and the avian bird flu, and of course there was the flooding in Manitoba not too many years ago, and I'm sure there are a couple I've missed. How could we set up something so we could actually define what a disaster is, what qualifies, that doesn't start duplicating what another program is supposed to do, whether it be crop insurance or CAIS or something?