Mr. Speaker, the parliamentary secretary dealt with two issues, the first being that the New Democratic Party has had a very strong agricultural program in every election since, as I can recall, 1952. We have program cards. I was looking at one the other day that was from the 1953 or 1954 federal election. In every campaign since 1953 or 1954, we have supported the Canadian Wheat Board and have said that we would fight to retain the Crow benefit. That has been in every one of our policies including our policy of the last election. However, the Crow benefit is gone.
In response to his second question, yes, we do believe the WTO is an important organization for our country and all countries, but the problem we have had is not with the hon. member opposite but with his colleagues before him who were trade ministers and gave away the farm. They had no strength with which to negotiate. They said that 20% was a good idea but that they were going to do 100% because they were good. And they were good, really good. They were so good that they have sacrificed half of our farm population in western Canada, and that is bad.
What we are looking at here is an organization that does have opportunities for us. We have to go to Seattle and try to get the subsidies on agriculture readjusted so they are more fair. In the interim until that happens, because it will not happen overnight and will probably take years, I would suggest to the parliamentary secretary that he stand with us and with the farmers. The member represents a rural constituency and he knows the importance of these sorts of programs. He should stand with us and help our farmers out west to get what they need to survive at least another year. It is certainly what they deserve.