Mr. Speaker, many farmers across this country, especially in western Canada, are facing an income crisis. This is through no fault of their own. The Asian economic situation is part of the cause, but government inaction, unreasonable user fees and tax increases over the past five years are the unforgivable causes.
Unreasonable fees have been charged through so-called cost recovery programs. Tax increases on fuel and other inputs have squeezed farmers too hard.
Farmers do not want handouts. All they want is fair treatment. That is why back in the 1993 election campaign and during discussion on the elimination of the Crow subsidy Reform MPs called for the government to put at least part of the value of the Crow into its trade distribution adjustment program. This fund would, as I speak, be paying money to farmers to help compensate for low prices caused by unfair trade practices in other countries.
But did this government listen? No. This government abandoned Canadian farmers. Now what is this government going to do?