Mr. Speaker, what I see happening today is that a lot of times governments will use certain law enforcement officers to fulfill their mandate or to proceed with a mandate. I know in my riding, and in Manitoba especially, customs officers have become known as the enemy of farmers. They have begun to prosecute farmers for selling their grain at a better price than they can get in their marketing system.
I do not blame the customs officers. They do a tremendous job. They try to do what is right. However, when they get orders to enforce an act such as the wheat board act instead of prosecuting farmers on the act itself, then they are manipulating these people and the act. That is very dangerous for our country. That is not the way the justice system is supposed to work.
I support this bill. Customs officers are a very important part of our democratic system. When we travel to places like the Soviet Union or Mexico we really know what a customs officer is worth, what he can do for you, what he can help you with. He is very important.
I say more power to the customs officers. They should work at arm's length from government. That will make them efficient and they will be a real benefit to Canadian society.