Unfortunately we've lost our minister. I was going to ask him some questions, because there were statements made this morning...and I realize we're dealing with CFIA, but we'd still like the department here.
He made comments about peach orchards coming out and being replaced with grape vineyards. We recently had an announcement of a plant closure in the Niagara region, the last fruit processing plant in eastern Canada. Nothing east of the B.C. border is left in Canada. That same plant is also a sister plant of a plant that was closed in my riding.
The point I'm making is if government really has a commitment to sustainability in agriculture, and if we believe...because I met yesterday with a gentleman who is now, contrary to what the minister said this morning, pulling out his pear orchards and replacing them with peach orchards, early peaches so that he has a continuum of work for his helpers, his workers. They had come to the table and asked government, including province and fed, for help, but there was no help from anyone, yet we are there for other industries in this country when they need help.
I think it's a shame we have lost the last plant in southwestern and perhaps in all Ontario, certainly in eastern Canada. These people, this particular individual has lost $300,000. Even after the government assistance of $1,600 an acre is factored in, he's still losing $300,000. The peaches he's tearing out had just come to their fifth year, prime production life.
I'm just wondering, really, what commitment--and this is not a partisan statement, I think government has failed in these areas for many, many years. When will government come to the sense that Canada's food production is important, that we look after this as much as we look after any other industry in this country? Because people can't go on continuing to do this kind of thing.
A private operator, I'm told--I have no numbers, but people have told me this--came up with $15 million in private money to keep this plant alive, but no government was willing to step up. I think this is a disgrace and I think it needs to be known that this has happened.
What is the response of government to this kind of thing? Because the talk is everywhere that this has happened, and I think you're aware of it.