... Your opinions are pretty consistent with what we've been hearing across Canada in the last week, starting in British Columbia, mentioning problems with the AgriStability program, the viability test needing to be revamped, lack of access to capital, the cost of land, the lack of harmonization, and regulations between Canada and other countries, as Bev referred to both today and in his motion.
I'm curious about two things.
I too am convinced of what everybody thinks, that the consolidation of these large processors and grocers is keeping you from getting what you truly deserve, and that is more than just the recovery of the cost of your inputs and something reasonable for your labour.
The Competition Act doesn't allow the Government of Canada to break large companies up, as can be done in the United States. It only allows the government to stop a lack of competition when people have collaborated with one another to set a price.
I'm wondering how you feel about the government revamping the Competition Act so that it can step in. Do you think it is time to step in and keep the processors from becoming, if they haven't already become, so large that they're controlling the price of things?
Can somebody answer that first? Then I'll ask my second question.
Steve.