Mr. Bouchard and Mr. Foster, I was pleased to be listening to you this morning although what you were telling us about the problems you face is not happy news. Since we got back from the 2008 election, I have been trying to make my committee colleagues aware of the importance of overhauling these programs. I even managed to get a motion passed to that effect. I am not the only member of this committee and I respect the fact that other members have other priorities. This tour we are on today is very important. For me, it confirms that all programs specifically designed for agricultural producers must be overhauled regularly.
You had a suggestion, Mr. Bouchard. You were talking about the AgriStability program, which you called the “Agri-uncertainty” program. That is not unlike a lot of other testimony that we have heard since we began this tour and as long as the program has been in existence. You also talked about the AgriRecovery program. There are a lot of programs. They are not all bad, nor were they all established in bad faith. I am sure that the government and its officials do not put programs in place knowing that they are not going to work. I am sure that the basic idea is to try to provide assistance, whatever the government is. I am a member of the opposition, but I can acknowledge that.
On the other hand, the government must acknowledge that, when a program is established, it is possible for it not to work as intended. It is possible for it not to meet producers' real needs. That is what you demonstrated this morning in just a few minutes. I would like to come back to that.
Your area was flooded. Have disaster relief programs been of any use to you? Do you feel that you may be able to recover because of those programs? If so, is there anything you would improve? If not, what should be done to help you in situations like that?