Madam Speaker, the hon. member for Guelph-Wellington is lucky, because she can count on the university bearing the same name as her riding. The federal government and several para-public organizations contribute considerable research budgets to the university in her riding.
Members will agree however that not all ridings can boast such fine universities as the University of Guelph unfortunately. It has put a lot of emphasis on research. I picked a year at random from my notes on federal government spending, and came up with the research spending of the Department of Agriculture in 1990. I will give you a few figures and I invite you to reflect on them.
The federal government spent almost half of its farming research budget in the grain sector, some $111 million. Of course, friends out west are not complaining. One hundred and eleven million dollars, close to one half. But the grain sector only produces six per cent of Canada's farming outputs. In the same year, 24 per cent of the federal government's agricultural research budget went to the dairy, poultry and hog sectors.
And it so happens that hog, poultry and dairy producers are concentrated in Quebec and, of course, in Ontario.
I, myself, am a farmer and a member of the UPA. I know many other farmers. I spent all of last Saturday going up and down the concessions visiting farmers and it is funny but I did not meet a single one who applauded the Liberal government's budget, especially regarding farming issues. Not one.
Last Monday, I was at the Lafaille auction in Coaticook. Over one hundred farmers were there. I asked some questions. They were obviously proud to see that one of their own made it to Ottawa to defend their interests. None of them were happy. Not one.
So in Ontario, out of 99-sorry, 98 Liberal ridings, one slipped out of their grasp and went to a Reform friend-the general protest reminds me of what happened in Quebec in the 1970s, when the only person even remotely capable of playing the role of the opposition was Roch LaSalle.
The UPA and the Association des producteurs laitiers have literally come out swinging against this budget. Now I will discuss an article written by Claude Rivard and will ask the hon. member for Guelph-Wellington to comment on it. In a newspaper article on dairy producers in Quebec, published in March 1995, Mr. Rivard talks about the federal government's intention to withdraw altogether from programs in the areas of dairy control and genetic testing. That is some major research. Her government is backing out and she is happy with the research done. My foot.