Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I will do my best to leave Mr. Richards time for some hard-hitting questions.
Mr. Minister, I want to thank you not only for taking the time to open up markets, which you have been going around the world to do, but also for the time you have taken for our local producers. Unlike previous parliamentary secretaries, you actually believe that rural round tables mean getting out into rural Canada. You have been to St. Paul, Mayerthorpe, and many other places where you get to meet real farmers and real producers. I know that in our area they appreciate your straightforwardness.
I don't want to leave you with the impression that the meeting we had this week with pork producers was all negative. I actually thought it was a very good meeting. They came forward, as you know, and stressed cashflow, which is something that we're working on, and they stressed market access.
But one of the things they really stressed is ratifying some of the free trade agreements that are already signed, such as the one with Colombia. I'm wondering what we can do as a government to help expedite this. Or maybe the opposition can help us out with this.
Then, of course, as an Albertan, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the fact that I hope you continue working with our provincial government on AgriRecovery. We had a severe drought in our area this year and it's very important that we find a good resolution for our farmers. I know you're working on it.
But my real question here goes to a truly western Canadian issue, and that is marketing choice and marketing freedom for western Canadian grain farmers. I asked this question when I first got on the agriculture committee and when you first became minister. I'm wondering, and I'd like to know from you, what we are doing as a government, and what you are doing as the minister, to come forward with a plan to help western Canadian farmers access the $450 million to $628 million a year that the June 2008 Informa document shows western Canadian farmers aren't able to get at by having access to open markets.