Mr. Speaker, one of the difficulties in responding to questions from the Reform Party is that its members consistently get their facts wrong. Once again the hon. gentleman has done exactly that.
He refers to a group within the grains industry called the May 16th group. He also refers to an advisory group of grains industry executives called the SEO group. The hon. gentleman should know those are two quite separate things. They are not one and the same.
The SEO group has come forward with certain recommendations about grain car ownership and grain car allocation procedures. Those recommendations have been presented for consideration to the May 16th group, as well as to some western Canadian farm organizations.
Those farm organizations are still in the process of considering the set of recommendations from the SEO group. Until I have the considered opinion of the farm organizations it would be highly inappropriate to make a final decision before getting their advice.
The hon. gentleman talks about grassroots political consultation and discussion. He suggests that we should get advice from farm organizations, but in his question he suggests that we make a
decision today which pre-empts the opportunity to get that advice through consultation, and that we will not do.