Mr. Speaker, I seek leave under Standing Order 52 to propose an emergency debate to address the current farm income crisis.
Producers are selling at a loss. According to Statistics Canada, farm cash receipts are down drastically in 1998. Net farm income dropped 55% nationally in 1997 and it is expected to be worse in 1999. It is certainly one of the worst farm income crises since the Great Depression.
If we compare Canada's producer support with other countries we should be ashamed.
According to figures released by Agriculture Canada, Canada ranks second last, with 2% producer support, when compared to other OECD nations. The United States, the European Union, Japan and other OECD countries, respectively, have 16%, 49%, 23% and 9% support for their farmers.
An emergency debate is required now in order to urge the government to address this issue immediately before more farmers are forced into bankruptcy. I believe that all parliamentarians do not want to force our producers out of the industry.
The debate would also give the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food the opportunity to inform the House about the proposed $2 billion package that the government is considering to help farmers through this crisis. Time is of the essence.
Mr. Speaker, I thank you for your careful consideration of this very important and extremely urgent matter.