Mr. Speaker, I would like to clear up a couple of misperceptions communicated by the member for Malpeque earlier in the debate.
The first deals with the subamendment I put forward that would grant the auditor general greater flexibility in how he would conduct the audit of the Canadian Wheat Board. The hon. member for Malpeque has suggested that this Senate amendment which calls for this one time audit by the auditor general would satisfy those farmers who are seeking greater transparency and accountability on the part of the Canadian Wheat Board.
He referred to the fact that the very reputable auditing firm Deloitte & Touche currently does the auditing for the Canadian Wheat Board and I recognize that fact. The simple fact that the member does not recognize and never has recognized in all the debates that we have had on this subject is that the auditor general goes far beyond a financial audit. He goes far beyond just counting the beans, as it were, which another auditing firm does, which accountants do.
The hon. member knows that. For him to suggest anything different is ridiculous. One amendment I put forward, the subamendment to the Senate amendments, deals with giving the auditor general far greater flexibility in how he would conduct his audit so that he would look at the actual efficiency of how the Canadian Wheat Board markets wheat and barley in western Canada and also ensure that he reports back to parliament, not simply to the minister and to the board of the directors of the corporation.
I wanted to clear that up and ask for some comments from the hon. member for Elk Island.
As well, the hon. member for Malpeque suggested that this new board of directors that will be comprised of 10 producer representatives of the 15 will have lots of power to control the operation of the Canadian Wheat Board. That is built into the bill, he suggested. He went so far as to reiterate and echo the remarks made by the hon. minister for the Canadian Wheat Board which that minister has often made that the board could always reduce the remuneration of the CEO and thereby have control of the CEO.
I do not know whether the member for Malpeque has ever heard of wrongful dismissal, but if the board of directors were to do that I would suggest that the board of directors would be taken to court by that CEO very quickly because it would be a breach of contract. I am sure that would happen.
I would like the hon. member for Elk Island to comment on that as well.