Mr.Speaker, during the emergency debate on agriculture last Monday evening the Leader of the Opposition said:
Basically our position is this: If the finance minister will clearly declare that the forthcoming budget will contain broad tax relief for all Canadians... then the official opposition would be prepared to support a temporary aid package as part of that long term solution.
This sounds to me as if the Reform Party is ready to hold farmers hostage in exchange for its partisan agenda. The party across the way makes poignant statements about the plight of individual farmers, frequently quoting and reading from constituent letters. It acknowledges the farm income crisis and urges a timely response. However it appears it will only support a solution if it is on its terms.
This situation is too serious for the official opposition to threaten to hold Canadian farmers hostage.