Mr. Speaker, it is clear from the remarks of my colleague for Kamouraska-Rivière-du-Loup that La Pocatière is in his riding.
Let me remind you again that agricultural research and development is vital. It is the key to success. It makes the difference between a country where there is food self-sufficiency and a third world country that continually has to import food to feed its people.
My main reason for my interest in sheep is the DLS breed. Some researchers, particularly researchers from La Pocatière in conjunction with their colleagues from Lennoxville, in the vicinity of my hon. colleague's riding of Mégantic-Compton-Stanstead, and my own riding of Frontenac, succeeded in genetically producing a new breed of sheep which will leave its marks on the future of sheep breeding in Quebec and Canada.
What is even more disappointing for the hon. member for Kamouraska-Rivière-du-Loup is, of course, the fact that, after a fire at the experimental farm, the federal government, typically lacking in vision, spent nearly $7 million to repair and rebuild buildings used among other things for sheep breeding. Now, in this budget devoid of comprehensive view, it is announcing the closure of this research station which, incidentally, was the oldest in Canada and Quebec.