Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Finance. Yesterday, the minister announced that the grain transportation subsidies would be eliminated, adding that a generous compensation of close to $3 billion, which includes direct subsidies, would be given to western producers. The minister also reduced by 30 per cent the subsidies to dairy producers, who are not so lucky since they will not be getting any compensation.
How can the Minister of Finance justify such an unfair double standard: dairy producers, most of whom are in Quebec, will not get any financial compensation, while western grain producers will?