Absolutely. I was reading something I had jotted down in my notes.
The substance of this motion is the removal of the words “for the benefit”. Throughout the legislation it seems that the directors are accountable not to producers, but to the minister and the Governor in Council.
I have to express to you my displeasure, not with the chair, but with the speed with which this is being put through. As was said a few minutes ago when we were in the back room, this is not a process that any developing country would want to emulate or simulate if they were passing good legislation. We've had closure on debate. We've had time limited on hearing witnesses and we've had time limited on being able to present amendments.
Even when discussion was going on last night and some good ideas evolved from those discussions and the answers from witnesses, it was already too late for us to even propose amendments that might have arisen from those very discussions.
I hope this is not unparliamentary, but I'm frankly disgusted at the speed with which this legislation is being rammed through Parliament. We are changing the trade behaviour of an entire industry in a few short days. I have to echo the sentiments originally expressed by Mr. Martin at the outset of these proceedings tonight.
I think “for the benefit” should be removed because it's really not for the benefit of producers. This legislation is for the benefit of the minister. I find that the words “for the benefit”, in fact, are somewhat ambiguous. They create an ambiguity so that you don't know whether the corporation is really accountable to producers or, as in the rest of the legislation, the directors are accountable to the minister.
Because those words “for the benefit” are vague, ambiguous, and somewhat subjective, who's to determine what is “for the benefit”? Right now, the legislation as it currently exists is clearly for the benefit of all producers. In my respectful opinion, I do not see that the substance of the legislation is for the benefit of producers. I submit, without belabouring the point, that this section be amended to read as I've said in my motion: “the grain of producers who choose to deal with the Corporation and the Corporation is accountable only to Parliament”.