My thanks to all the witnesses for your time today. I appreciate the number of you who have supported our government's efforts to increase market access and to create the market access secretariat. I appreciate your adding your names to the growing chorus of witnesses who have indicated their support for our government's work in this area.
I want to direct my question to the Western Canadian Wheat Growers. Unlike our Liberal opponents across the way, I recognize the detriment to the competitiveness of our growers that the Wheat Board monopoly imposes. It's a barrier for you guys. I hear this from farmers in my riding all the time. They're frustrated at being at the mercy of that monopoly. I'm well aware that Canadian farmers are among the hardest-working and the most innovative and industrious people in the entire world. Yet, in western Canada the profits and the future of the industry are being severely hampered by our inability to market our own products, which is a result of the Wheat Board's monopoly. I'm going to put it on the record: I can assure you and all western Canadian farmers that I will continue to fight for your freedoms.
In the meantime, we're well aware of the millions of dollars of farmers' money—I repeat, farmers' money—that have been lost because of the Wheat Board's poor risk management practices. I'd like your comments on this situation. Do you feel the Wheat Board should be held accountable for the poor management of western Canadian farmers' resources?