Madam Speaker, I hate to prolong this discussion on the contradictions in the hon. member's speech, but I do not know how we can do anything but.
In one minute within his speech, as the previous member from the other side has just suggested to him, he goes on and on about government involvement. Then, as has been well said, the member for Vegreville certainly has not answered very well on how he separates his comments about no government involvement.
It reminds me of a phone call I had from the hon. member's province two or three weeks ago. It was from an individual who said there had been a meeting of 150 randomly selected farmers. They did not want anything to do with supply management. They did not want anything to do with any type of organized marketing in any way, shape or form. They did not want anything to do with any government support. They did not want anything to do with the NISA program. I said: "You do not want anything to do with government". He said: "That is right. All we want is government there if there is a trade war and if there is a weather problem".
I ask the member to comment on whether this is how he feels the government should be involved in support in a safety net program for agriculture. As I said to that gentleman, it seems he did not want to have fire insurance on his barn, but if it started to burn down he wanted the right to go to town and the insurance company would be obligated to sell him a policy at that time.
Is that the way the hon. member thinks a government should plan ahead for the future of this important industry? We as a government are in the safety net. We are meeting with farmers. The majority of the people in the national safety net are key players, participants from the grassroots in putting that plan together, the task force on orderly marketing in the dairy, egg and poultry industries, all of the players involved in that industry are around the table.
I suggest to the member that he notice what is being done. Government's role is to listen to opposition, listen to the grassroots and facilitate with the restrictions, legislation and financial restrictions in a responsible manner for the good of all Canadians. I would suggest that is being done.