I said in my remarks in the House, Mr. Chair, that we were willing to see this bill go through all stages without even coming to committee.
The bill is needed. It increases availability to credit, especially for beginning farmers, which wasn't in the bill before. And it increases the amount, so it's important in terms of inter-generational transfers.
I would underline the fact, though, as I said in the House, that the bill goes right to the government's record of something they seem to be good at doing, which is increasing the debt of the farm community while not dealing with the income issues. But having said that, it's important that the bill get through rapidly. And because I believe one party wouldn't agree to see it through the House at all stages, I would suggest that we need to then give it a priority at committee. I think the process is that legislation is usually given a priority. And could we get it through committee the first week we're back? Because it has to go through the House and go through the Senate, and it really should be operational for the farm community before we adjourn, so it's important we give it rapid passage.
I do want to say one thing on the parliamentary secretary's comments. Why should we make farmers wait? If there are some opposition parties that want to debate it further, it can't be blamed on them, because the government had lots of time to come forward with this legislation earlier. But the Liberal Party is willing to see it go through all stages quickly, because we think it's needed.