In my riding, nearly 60% of the people are farmers. I went into politics in 2004. I am not a farmer by training, but I have seen my friends just about commit suicide because of the mad cow disease and everything that occurred. So I said to myself that if I could do something, I would.
I am familiar with Quebec's regulations and I have learned a great deal about agriculture. I put on my boots and bluejeans and I went and saw what was going on. I wondered why, during the days of the mad cow disease crisis, everybody in Canada was being penalized. From what I could see, mad cow disease does not float on the water in Prince Edward Island or in Newfoundland and Labrador—or our Quebec requirements...
Why are you saying that the food safety is similar when in fact it is not? It is probably more stringent in Quebec than elsewhere. I find this difficult to understand. I have seen Californian carrots with salmonella. So I am very afraid of beef with added hormones winding up here when in fact this does not exist in Quebec.
If you can convince me of the opposite, I am all ears.