Mr. Speaker, I know that when the Royal Bank speaks the government listens. I do hope that it listens equally to the Farm Credit Corporation. I noticed that there was a great deal of quoting in the question from the Royal Bank of Canada. As I have said, I know that the shareholders in the Royal Bank of Canada carry a fair amount of sway with the Liberal government and that if the Royal Bank is happy with the program, then of course the Liberal government will continue with the program.
I would suggest that perhaps the government might want to listen to some of the elected representatives of the farmers, and instead of listening to the people who are lending the money it listen perhaps to the people who are borrowing the money.
I am going to read what the premier of Saskatchewan had to say about the last federal government announcement. Premier Roy Romanow said:
—federal response to the farm income crisis in Saskatchewan completely misses the mark.
Today's announcement amounts to some technical changes and a very small top-up to AIDA. Our farmers have told us—
It was not the Royal Bank.
—clearly that AIDA does not work. AIDA didn't work before this announcement and won't work after it.
I regret to say I can come to no other conclusion. Ottawa has completely missed the mark.
If it comes to a choice for me of deciding whether I am going to listen to the Royal Bank or the premier of Saskatchewan, I will choose the elected representative any time.