Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for the question.
We on the government side have strongly supported the Canadian Wheat Board over the years and will continue to do so in a very effective and strong fashion. Recently the kinds of changes that we have implemented support the Government of Canada's position in this all important area, fully understanding how important that wheat board is to Canadians.
I fail to understand from the Reform Party where exactly its principles are and what is left of them when it comes to agriculture. I was astounded to listen to the Leader of the Opposition, or more to the point not to listen to the Leader of the Opposition through the whole last session of parliament. How many questions were asked in this House by the Leader of the Opposition with respect to agriculture? The answer is one. Imagine, of all the questions that could have been asked, only one measly question was asked about agriculture. The Reform Party really has to get its act together with respect to this all important area.
I was surprised that the very person who is moving this motion today, the member for Selkirk—Interlake, was quoted not so long ago as showing compassion for our pork producers when the bottom fell out of the market. He told the CBC program Politics on November 30, 1998 that cattlemen do not go crying for aid every time the price of cattle goes down and neither should the hog industry.
Where is the compassion? Where is their sense of what is right for the agricultural sector? It is not there and Canadians see through it every time.