Mr. Speaker, last week the government introduced legislation to modernize Canada's grain handling system but instead of looking to the future and capitalizing on its opportunity to leave $300 million in the pockets of producers with a commercially accountable contract driven system, the Liberal government has chosen to look to the past.
Despite giving producers short term relief for freight costs, the so-called reforms in Bill C-34 will only entrench the inefficiencies and incompetence that have dominated western Canada's grain transportation since the turn of the century.
Studies by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business have shown that excessive government red tape is a serious impediment to improving productivity in the agriculture sector.
By refusing to reduce the role of the Canadian Wheat Board, the government has ignored the advice of experts such as Mr. Kroeger and Justice Estey. It is perpetuating a bureaucratic culture of excessive government interference and overregulation that will continue to cost Canadian farmers millions of dollars each year.