Mr. Speaker, I rise to discuss a concern that should affect and seriously grab the attention of all Canadians, and that is our agricultural crisis.
There probably was not a sadder day for our primary producers than the day the Prime Minister country said, and I believe I am quoting verbatim, “I don't understand the problem in agriculture, it is not showing up in the polls”. Imagine a farmer struggling in the fields of Saskatchewan, or the Annapolis Valley, or Manitoba or wherever hearing the Prime Minister issue a statement of that nature? It was because of that type of response by the Prime Minister that I entered politics.
In November 1996, on national television, a woman from Quebec asked this same Prime Minister a question. By the way, that was his last televised town hall meeting. Imagine how nervousness she was, bearing in mind that he had been a member of parliament for 33 years and was the Prime Minister of the country. She asked him what he or his government could do to assist her to search for gainful employment? He could have and should have said that she had brought up a specific case and if she cared to meet his officials after the show, they would be happy to talk to her. However, he did not.
What he said changed my life and got me into politics. He said “Well Madam, in life some people are lucky, some are not. You may have to move”. I was so upset by our Prime Minister when he said that that I decided to enter the political world, and here I am today. Years later, he said that agriculture was not showing up in the polls.
My colleague, the member for Palliser who through his efforts has not only kept the caucus abreast of the agricultural issues, but has raised these issues in the standing committee and in the House of Commons. He deserves a wonderful warm round of applause for his continued effort to bring the issues of agriculture to the forefront of political debate.
My colleague from Brandon—Souris is asking that a committee be struck to look into the issues that severely affect our farmers and their families of today, be it weather, pests, shortages of goods or services, market conditions, delivery concerns, et cetera. He is asking the government and opposition members to show a little forward thinking in terms of the needs of our agricultural producers.
Not long ago a group farmers and their families spoke to our caucus about their concerns and the agricultural crisis they were facing at home in the prairies. We should bear in mind that 22,000 families left the farm in 1998-99. If that is not a crisis, what is it?
I asked a young man from Saskatchewan who was about 12 or 13 years old if he would go into the agriculture industry when he became older. He said that his father and his grandfather did but he would not. Then I asked him if his classmates in school would go into the agriculture industry and become farmers, and he said no.
The question that begs to be asked is: Who will be the agricultural producers of tomorrow? Will it be the family farm or will it be the multinational corporate farm? Is the family farm dead and finished? If it is, the government should have the courage to say so, but that is not its initiative.
I come from an area of the world where a lot of fishing takes place. The loss of independent fishermen in the nineties and what happened to their families is exactly what is happening to farmers of today. It is inexcusable that the government just sits back and twiddles its thumbs and allows this crisis to happen. It is almost like the government does it deliberately. It is almost like it wants multinational corporations to take over.
Mark my words, Mr. Speaker. We may eventually lose our agricultural sovereignty in Canada, which means that we will have to rely on other nations or other corporations governed by other nations to feed us. That will be a sad day. We should be world leaders and we are falling further behind. We are telling our farmers that we do not care and that parliament is too busy to deal with their issues. All my colleague from Brandon—Souris asked was that a committee be struck to look at the issues.
It is incredible that government members will not accept that argument but it is understandable. A good idea from the opposition is rarely accepted by the Liberal Party. It is unfortunate the Liberals cannot get their heads out of the clouds for one moment and accept good and reasonable debate. There was a time when the Liberal Party of Canada would have done so, but it does not do it now. If an idea does not come from that bench, it certainly does not go anywhere. That is a disgrace.
On behalf of farmers and on behalf of the New Democratic Party from coast to coast to coast, we thank the member for Brandon—Souris for his initiative. We would have liked to see it votable, but unfortunately it is quite obvious that the Liberal government would not see that happen.