Mr. Speaker, I am astounded at the amount of publicity I am getting here tonight. There is a demand for me to speak. I thought I had said everything the other day but I will oblige them and make a few remarks on the amendments.
I hope the press is incorrect on some of the rumours that I have been reading lately. I know we have no western Canadian wheat farmers on the Liberal benches but we still have the wheat board minister at least from the west. I hear rumours now that he is to be moved to a different portfolio. I surely to God hope they will not do that because we will miss him on the flight back to Ottawa. We like to meet and greet each other sometimes even when we are on conflicting sides.
I want to make clear, and I want to be corrected on it if I am wrong, the position of the Liberals on the Canadian Wheat Board. Just before the last election in Manitoba they organized a committee to save the wheat board. I attended this meeting and later a rally was held in front of the wheat board buildings. I saw at least five Liberal MPs standing on the platform and saying they were the protectors of the Canadian Wheat Board and that they would save single desk selling.
When the Liberal convention was held just prior to the election the workshops brought out different resolutions to put on the floor. One was brought forward by the former MP from Dauphin—Swan River, Marlene Cowling, a very well respected lady in the agriculture community. She proposed a resolution that they support very strongly the maintenance of single desk selling in the wheat board.
Another resolution was brought forward on behalf of agriculture that stated we should legalize the growing of hemp. There was only one resolution allowed on the floor for debate. Which one did the Liberal government supported? It was the one for legalizing the growing of hemp. Where did its commitment to the Canadian Wheat Board evaporate to? Am I wrong? Is that what happened?