Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I was advised to ask you the following questions. I know the agricultural sector fairly well and I will continue with the same issue raised by my colleague Wayne.
Some witnesses told the standing committee that bureaucrats are keeping them in the dark about the details of the new BRM programs. Could you provide to the standing committee before the end of December all the available details on how these programs will operate?
These programs will come into effect in January 2008, or perhaps in April, but nobody knows what is happening. It doesn't make any sense. As was said earlier, this is not a situation of an employer versus an employee, but rather of a government versus producers who are in a crisis. Why has nothing been announced? I don't know who will want to take the question, but there it is.
You met on November 17 to move things forward. The industry did not ask for anything. If you wait for everyone to speak up before doing anything, every producer will declare bankruptcy, and that will be the end of it. Is that what the government wants? I do not know. It's all very well and good to toss out numbers, like 600 million dollars, but things have to happen now.
Last year, I asked officials from the Department of Agriculture to explain the vision of the government. But until now, I have not received an answer. I believe there must be a long-term vision for the agriculture sector, as for any other sector. Primary resource sectors are essential. If agriculture is suffering, the entire country will suffer; there is no doubt about it.
I would like to receive an answer on that matter.