Mr. Speaker, the member for Haldimand-Norfolk is an excellent chairman of the agriculture committee. He does an excellent job.
However today there are three points I would like briefly to correct or bring to his attention. Basically the discussion today is about the lack of leadership in government regarding agriculture. What he said would indicate even more the lack of leadership with respect to agriculture in government. For example, he mentioned rural development, which is of course extremely important, saying how the government minister indicated that it was his top priority but he did not put any money in it. What sort of top priority is that when you say it is really very important and you do not put any money in it?
Another example is trade. He mentioned that there are many initiatives with regard to trade. Of course, the minister has gone to China to sell wheat. However, in the negotiations that are going on with the United States right now there is a problem that was created by the Americans by their export enhancement program and other issues. Of course Canada profited from this situation. Of course Canada profited from free trade with the United States, but why suddenly is Canada giving in to American pressure and putting a cap on durum wheat to the United States? It is lack of leadership.
Another example, again in dealing with trade with the United States, which really is a big item, is instead of dealing sector by sector so that we get the maximum for our bucks for Canada we put it all in one lump package. This is what the minister of agriculture is trying to deal with the United States, instead of dealing sector by sector so that he would get the maximum for his bucks. Lack of leadership. The examples were given by the MP for Haldimand-Norfolk who is a very good president of the agriculture committee.