Mr. Speaker, on June 3, 1993, the former Conservative government removed the interest free provision of the Advance Payments for Crops Act or APCA.
It is the belief of the Liberal Party of Canada that the removal of the interest free aspect has had an adverse effect on the advance payments program because farmers are already facing a cash flow crunch and cannot afford the additional burden of interest charges.
On behalf of the agricultural community of Lambton-Middlesex and all other rural ridings, I call upon the Minister of Agriculture to reinstate the interest free provisions of the APCA by Order in Council for the 1993-94 program.