Mr. Speaker, on Friday afternoon, March 13, the federal Minister of Health came to Tillsonburg, a town in my riding, to announce officially regulations for the growing of industrial hemp in time for the 1998 growing season. This will be the first time in over 60 years that industrial hemp can be grown legally in Canada.
Every part of the hemp plant can be used commercially: the seeds for oil and food; the foliage for medicine; and the stems for fabric, paper, fuel, paints, construction materials and auto parts.
Hemp does not need pesticides in order to grow well and should assist us in saving our forests because a relatively small acreage can produce vast amounts of paper on a sustainable basis.
I thank the Minister of Health and members of the Liberal rural caucus from both houses of parliament for working hard to make this announcement a reality. I look forward to keeping the House apprised of the development of this incredible crop.