Okay. It's all of Mr. St. Amand's motion up to the point where it says “tobacco producers”. From that point we would add the words starting with, “and to continue to work with all partners”.
The reason I think it's important to have this facet in the motion is that you have to work with everybody. This isn't just about the tobacco growers. This isn't just about the federal government. The community is involved. That's one thing I heard in the meeting I had with mayors and councillors from that area who came to my office. I met with them, probably out of respect for my colleague here and the fact that I'm a farmer and I wanted to hear some of the problems down there. I know right now how communities are being affected in my area by the problems we're having in the pork and beef sectors. I think it's important that everybody involved gets in on this.
I think, too, one example we can show of where there is a responsibility all the way around is the recent initiative in the hog sector. While there has been some money out there to help reduce the number of hogs that end up on the market.... As we all know, and the pork industry will admit as well, there is an oversupply right now. In order to reduce that, $50 million was put out. The government has a responsibility in there, but there is some onus on the producers as well. When you put those all together and you add in some of the other components here, and stakeholders....
There is a comment I would make with regard to Mr. Easter's comments. You know, you'd think from listening to Wayne that this tobacco crisis just started as of January 23, 2006. You'd think that every problem, or what have you, started on that date. We all know differently. This has been ongoing.
Mr. Chairman, I'm going to ask that at the next meeting, or soon thereafter, I be given a copy of the Liberal Party of Canada's exit strategy when the election got called on November 29, 2005. I want to see a copy of that exit strategy.