Mr. Speaker, I am sure the hon. member will recognize his last sentence as a gratuitous remark that is rather out of place.
Like the hon. member, I too hope that initial payment levels in Canada can be increased progressively throughout the current crop year and from my point of view the sooner the better.
There are two factors that need to be borne in mind. First, even though the North American harvest may be virtually complete, the western Canadian harvest is now only about 60 per cent complete. There are still questions to be answered about final quantity and quality. It would obviously be premature on the basis of the amount that is completed so far to move at this point with respect to initial payments.
However, I fully expect the Canadian Wheat Board to make its most favourable recommendations to me at the earliest possible date.
The other factor the hon. gentleman should bear in mind is a warning against any hasty increase in initial payments that could provide the Americans with additional grist for their mill in their ongoing, unwarranted attacks against the Canadian Wheat Board.