Debates of Sept. 27th, 2001

Agriculture

[An hon. member]

We appreciate that.

[Paul Szabo, Liberal, Mississauga South, ON]

Thanks.

Early in my career I had the pleasure of being corporate treasurer of United Cooperatives of Ontario, an agricultural co-operative which provided farm inputs. I learned an awful lot about the agricultural community and it sensitized me to the reality of the family farm.

The northeast of Ontario is mostly dairy and cattle and the southwest is seed and grain. Their requirements are a little different in terms of their inputs. I will share with the House a few things an urban person learned about the farm, which I think Canadians would be interested to know.

When there is an economic downturn in Canada farmers are the first to suffer and the last to recover. That is the reality I saw in the agricultural community in Ontario.

I learned about the technology of farming. It has been changing dramatically, so much so that we can produce more food with many fewer farms than we ever did before. That is a tremendous pressure on the family farm. How can a family farm compete? Large corporations are buying up farms and consolidating properties. They are able to negotiate with suppliers to get significant savings on agricultural inputs that are not available to the small family farm. Economies of scale are a big issue.

There is no question that the family farm is declining. This is unfortunate but widespread. I listened to the speech of the hon. member for Dufferin--Peel--Wellington--Grey. It was an excellent speech. He has a plan. However the family farm needs help so I am here to lend my support. I am here to say I support the agricultural industry and the family farm.

I do not have the current figures on food and our economy. However Canadians should know that we are not just talking about the livelihood of farmers. Only about 2% of the population are farmers. We are talking about a major industry in Canada which employs an enormous number of people outside the farm gate. I am talking about all the people involved in the supply of inputs, fertilizers and chemicals. I am talking about the Ciba-Geigys, the Monsantos and CF Industries in the U.S. which is a major fertilizer supplier.

I will give an example of the problems and cost issues that used to come up. CF Industries used to make me strike a purchase price for fertilizer months in advance of delivery. Because it came from the United States, I had to make a decision on purchasing timing because there was a risk on the foreign exchange side. We also had to pay in advance. Time is money and this adds to the costs.

In considering this example of incremental costs to the inputs of a farm operation, we can imagine how many other aspects of farming are not typical. There are risks inherent in the agricultural industry. We know about the tragic drought across Canada and other serious problems. We know about the risks we face with regard to foot and mouth disease and the safeguards being taken.

The Government of Canada is concerned about the agricultural industry. Has it been able to do enough? I do not believe so.

During the pre-budgeting process we will get an opportunity to show our support by talking with colleagues like the hon. member for Miramichi who has been such a sound spokesman on behalf of the Canadian farm.

The Government of Canada will make sure it is there in situations of economic downturn where farmers are the first to suffer and the last to recover. It will be there on behalf of all Canadians because it values our food supply.

I cannot overstate the fact that the Government of Canada spends an enormous amount to protect the quality and safety of our food supply. It is another cost to taxpayers but an important one. If the safety of our food supply is in jeopardy Canadians as a whole will suffer. Seventy-five per cent of our exports go to the United States. A large percentage of that, around 80%, is agricultural production.

I am here tonight as an urban member of parliament with a bit of knowledge of the agriculture industry. I know enough about it to know it is important. I favour continued support for the agricultural community. Seeds and grains were the hardest hit by the drought in the last round. However it is not the only tragedy we have had in the agricultural industry. Canada must be vigilant about how to protect the things that are most important to us. I cannot think of anything more important to Canada right now than the security of our food supply.

I thank members for participating in the debate. It is important that Canadians know we care about agriculture.

[Charlie Penson, Canadian Alliance, Peace River, AB]

Mr. Chairman, when my hon. colleague from Selkirk--Interlake asked for this emergency debate, I was of two minds as to whether or not to participate. I have been involved in several emergency debates on agriculture in the almost nine years that I have been in the House and I honestly have to say that I am very discouraged. In fact I despair for the way agriculture has been treated and what the future is for agriculture in Canada.

Even though my colleague who just spoke said that he realizes the importance of the industry, in general terms I do not think the government recognizes its importance. I fail to understand how any government could ignore a basic industry which produces food for our country and think that it could build a modern economy if there is no security in our food supply. Is it going to let our farmers disappear and die? We can import corn into eastern Canada from the United States and we can import canola cheaper from the European Union because of all the subsidies, but some day that may change. If it changes, I suggest we will be in big trouble and it may not be as far off as we think.

In terms of security, we have seen what happened to the United States. We always think that things like that happen far away from us. My colleague from Elk Island talked about Ukraine. The Soviet Union had a deliberate policy to starve out the people of Ukraine in the 1920s and 1930s. Twenty million people perished because of that kind of policy. Any nation that does not have the ability or the foresight to look after its food supply is in jeopardy.

Why has the government chosen not to look after our farmers? We know that other countries have looked after their farmers. There are many ways of doing it. There is the subsidy route which the European Union chose. There are other methods. Canada continues to charge high taxes on fuel and fertilizer. We have heard this before. It is not as if the government does not choose to do the same thing with other sectors. Agriculture is obviously not a priority area for the government.

Grants and subsidies are going to businesses all the time. We are about to have another one hit us here next week regarding Air Canada. It wants $3 billion to $4 billion. I suggest the track record of the Liberal government will mean that it gets it. Yes, the airline industry is an important industry. What about Bombardier? Since January 1 it has come to the government twice. It was given a $1.7 billion loan guarantee to sell jets to Air Wisconsin and there was another one shortly after for $1.3 billion. Why? Because the competition is unfairly subsidizing its product and we have to keep pace. Does that sound vaguely familiar?

The European Union subsidizes its farmers to the extent of about ten times as much as Canadian farmers get. Not only is it supplying its own needs which we can accept, but it is using those export subsidies to steal our other markets in third world countries. Our farmers are withering and dying. I have been at functions and meetings with farmers. I have seen 30 farm wives in tears wondering how their farms are going to survive. Many of them did not survive. In the last few years there has been great devastation. We can choose to go down that road.

One of the members opposite said there has always been change and fewer family farms. That is true and it will continue to happen. Some farmers will survive. What about the fairness aspect of this? We can find money for Bombardier. We can find money to give to Pratt & Whitney and General Electric. HRDC grants of over $1 billion seem to go missing. McGill University asked for a grant of $60,000 out of that program and it was sent $160,000. That is the kind of nonsense that goes on. When farmers come knocking at the door, they are told there is not enough money and that they will just have to survive.

What about cultural grants? Yes, culture is a very important thing. We all need culture, but if we do not have a base economy, what kind of culture are we going to have in the future?

What about Shawinigan? We have money to give to hotel builders in Shawinigan to build hotels, conference centres and so on.

Let us assume that they had chosen not to give money to agriculture because it is not a priority area. How else could we help farmers? We could help farmers by getting out of the intervention that takes place. When farmers realized they could not look to the federal government for any more money, they would want to operate on a market basis and would find the markets to sell their product. However, if they did that the federal government would tell them that they had to sell their product to the Canadian Wheat Board, which will not let the farmer export. He might live five miles from the Canada-U.S, but he cannot take it across the border. He has to get a licence from the Canadian Wheat Board. It is more intervention and more control.

What about the Canadian Grain Commission? If some Canadian companies want to sell products that have 5% dockage and 95% product, wheat for example, to customers who want them, they cannot do that. The Canadian Grain Commission will not allow them to do it.

What about the transportation side? Farmers want to have a transportation, market driven system. They cannot have that because we have the Canada Transportation Act which limits what they can do. They also have to involve the Canadian Wheat Board which says they cannot have rail cars to ship their product unless it tells them to do so.

There is a lack of concern by the government in terms of trying to give some financial help to farmers. There is a lack of concern about letting them go their own way, like New Zealand. When New Zealand thought it was too heavy going and it had to get out of the subsidy business, it at least took the reins off the industry and let it go to a market industry so that railways could reduce their cost of doing business and people were not constricted in what they had to do in terms of monopoly situations.

If the government cannot help farmers it should get out of the way. That is what I say to the Liberals across the way.

We have heard some good speeches from the other side. I asked the chairman of the agriculture committee to take the committee to Grande Prairie a couple of years ago, in the Peace River country, an area that produces as much grain as the entire province of Manitoba. It would have been the first time the committee had ever been in my riding. I asked it to come to hear the concerns of the people. Yes, it came and I was grateful for it.

When the chairman, Mr. Harvard, started, I was a little tough on him. Some of the members of my riding asked me why I was being so tough on the Liberals because they seemed like good people. I told them that was fine, but to wait to see what they would deliver. They delivered great promises. There were speeches afterward at the chamber of commerce, and they got good press. They said they were listening, that they were our best friends and that they would do something. It never happened.

Why are we dubious? I have been here nine years and it is the same old story. We have these debates and yes, things will happen. We asked the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food for $500 million. The government could not do it. It rolled over money from one year to the next to make it look like it was doing something. I think it is just too little. If the government cannot help, it should get out of the way and let farmers choose their own course. That is what we need.

This year we have a devastating drought in many parts of the prairies. Also, in Ontario some of the other speakers have identified problem areas. That is the latest, but it has happened many times before in different forms. What have farmers come to expect of government? They have come to expect some help in these times.

We had major rains in one sector of the Peace River country. I applied to the Disaster Services Board. It said no. If a farmer took crop insurance he did not qualify. What happened in Ontario after the ice storm? The government could not wait to get cheques into the hands of those people. In fact, there were advances before the claims were even made. It was the same with the flood in the Saguenay. Let us try treating people equally and fairly in this country for a change.

We see where the Liberals are coming from. They are looking after certain sectors. They do not look after others.

I think I know why the Prime Minister did not come to Saskatchewan when it was looking for major help a couple of years ago. The Liberal candidate in Saskatoon summed it up quite nicely in the last election. She said “If you don't elect me, you're getting nothing”.

I see my colleagues from Saskatoon here. On this side of the House people will not take that kind of silliness in politics. We want fairness in this country. If the government will not give us fairness, it should get out of our way and let farmers choose their own course of action.

[Vic Toews, Canadian Alliance, Provencher, MB]

Mr. Chairman, I appreciate your patience here tonight and your presence is certainly appreciated.

Although the recent crisis in the United States has overshadowed the more common domestic problems in Canada, we must not forget about the stresses and setbacks of our citizens. The people I would like to talk about today are our Canadian farmers.

Over the past several years it has been clear that the federal government is unwilling or indeed unable to come to grips with a serious farm income problem in Canada. While the federal and provincial ministers recently announced a long term vision for the future of agriculture, this proposal ignored the immediate income crisis facing grain and oilseeds farmers.

While continuing to develop a long term goal for Canadian agriculture is important, more immediate steps need to be taken to ensure that farm families can afford to stay on the farm. Canada needs to develop a plan to put more money into the pockets of farmers immediately. However, instead of implementing practical solutions, the federal government has shown nothing but inaction. Its failure to recognize the grave income problem our farmers face will mean that many families will lose their farms, indeed many corporations who run farms will lose their business.

This is not just a problem in western Canada. This year in particular we have heard how Canadian farmers from coast to coast are suffering severe drought conditions as well as extremely low commodity prices.

If Canadians want to know where the water went, it went to southeastern Manitoba where we have been suffering nothing but flood. Fields are under water and we have serious problems with getting our crops in. We have serious problems with our forage crops and with cattle. In my riding we have had an abundance of water. If there was a way to distribute this water across the prairies or into Ontario, I would love to see that solution. However that is the reality of dealing with weather in Canada.

Speaking specifically of the drought situation, the federal agency that was set up to help farmers and ranchers with their problem with the lack of water, the PFRA ran out of money just four days after the beginning of this fiscal year.

Crops of all kinds have been seriously affected this season. A Statistics Canada survey of 5,900 Saskatchewan farmers suggested that spring wheat production will fall 18% from last year. Canola production will fall 38%. Durum wheat will fall 49% from last year to the lowest level in recent history. Corn production is down 20% and soybean production is down 25%.

Problems like drought cannot always be anticipated or prevented and for that reason it is extremely crucial that government improve upon the existing safety net programs to ensure that they meet the needs of farmers.

Sadly, the federal Liberal government continues to fail Canadian farmers with its lack of an effective agriculture policy. The Canadian wheat farmer receives only 11% of his income from government. Compare that to 58% for European grain farmers and 46% for American farmers. Yet instead of providing direct support for Canadian farmers until we can persuade the Europeans and the Americans to reduce their subsidy levels our minister of agriculture simply shrugs and says, “If you don't like it get out of the business”.

I was very pleased to hear my colleague from Peace River mention the national security aspect of food production because one need only look at history to realize that when we lose control of food production we lose our country. It is an inevitable connection. If we ignore food production here and allow others to produce it, we will lose our country. This is a national security issue that the government simply does not recognize.

Farmers have been ignored and sidelined by the federal Liberal government for years, but our nation rests on the backs of these farmers. Now Canadian farmers are having to face not just what have become the more common problems of debt, drought and flood. They are being hit from all sides by ill-advised government policies. For example, the legislation dealing with cruelty to animals, Bill C-15 currently before the House, has the potential to adversely affect normal farming practices. In the bill we see significant alterations in the underlying principles related to animal offences. It is something that needs to be very carefully considered.

The justice minister has attempted to assure members of the House and the Canadian public that the bill is not intended to target farmers or others who use animals legitimately. She has promised that these changes do not in any way negatively affect the many legitimate activities that involve animals such as hunting, farming, medical or scientific research. I can only ask this question. If it is not intended to change legitimately the way we deal with animals, then why do we need these substantive changes? It is creating anxiety and concerns among farmers.

If the minister were to stand and say that we needed tougher penalties against those who were cruel to animals, I and I think every member of the House would agree with that, but there is something much more behind this legislation. It has nothing to do with more severe penalties. There is an animal rights agenda here that is designed to drive farmers out of business and the Liberal government is buying into the policy. No member across the way will stand up and tell farmers that they will not allow a narrow political agenda to jeopardize the farmers' livelihoods.

The other issue again is ill-advised government policy driven not by members of the House, not the two good Liberal members I see across the way, but by the secret bureaucrats who drive these agendas. Who are they? Who would have advised the minister to introduce this type of legislation? Probably the same bureaucrats or policy advisers who brought in Bill C-68.

What does that have to do with agriculture? It has everything to do with agriculture. It criminalizes activities of hunters and farmers. It is just another government program to worry about; half a billion dollars that it has been dumped down the drain. That half billion dollars could go to our farmers in direct supports. It could go to national security. However, to set up programs to aggravate hunters and farmers and to allow criminals to escape simply is not acceptable.

I have had the opportunity to put a few thoughts on the record. I thank the House for its patience and indulgence.

[Maurice Vellacott, Canadian Alliance, Saskatoon—Wanuskewin, SK]

Mr. Chairman, it is an honour and, in some sense, sad that I am here participating in this debate. I am sure other members would prefer not to be here and that things were going well in the farming communities across the country.

I speak particularly on behalf of the farmers of the Saskatoon--Wanuskewin constituency, but we know there is a major problem for Canadian farmers and agriculture producers from coast to coast who are suffering from drought conditions. They are facing some real burdens these days.

It has been fairly obvious over a number of years and even of late that the Liberal government does not have, as any kind of priority, the needs of farm families in rural Canada. It may say that it is not in its interest nor in the national interest, but it is very wrong on that. At a time like this, it is in the national interest to sustain and assist those who put food on our tables day by day. It is in the interest of each of us, three times a day at least.

The Liberal agriculture minister refuses to acknowledge that there is a crisis. We see him responding in the House in a rather lacklustre fashion refusing to acknowledge the depth of the ongoing farm crisis and the exacerbating impact of the drought across our country. At times, when he is pressed on it, he comes up with a briefing package that nicely itemizes or details all the help available to farmers, but it proves to be rather pitiful. It may look great on paper but there is not a lot of cash or dollars on the table when it comes right down to it.

Overall yields are down very significantly across the country, anywhere from 20% or better in the prairies. Surely in this session the time has come for farmers to get some help and receive deliverance. The government ought to finally follow through in terms of the many years of promises of a solid, long term farm safety net program. We need it and we have been insisting on it, and there is no better time than these days ahead to put that into practice.

During this session of parliament we hope the Liberals will view those who till the soil as at least equal to some of the companies across other parts of the country, such as Bombardier, that make up the so-called new economy. Air Canada has asked Ottawa for some $3 billion to $4 billion or it may have to file for bankruptcy. Well the fact is that many farmers have already had to file for bankruptcy and it has created enormous distress. Help lines have been set up across the west and elsewhere in the country. Forgive us if we fail to see the justice in a possible $3 billion to $4 billion bailout if the government goes down that road.

The Liberals have failed to clearly address the root causes of the farm income crisis which has been further hampered by the drought arriving on the heels of disastrously low commodity prices. Farmers need immediate emergency financial help and they need it now.

The Canadian Alliance has a plan which we have laid out very clearly over a period of time after consultations with farmers and by holding town hall meetings. It is a plan to deal with the immediate crisis and includes a long term vision so that our agriculture industry becomes as vibrant as it once was in the country.

It is obvious, if one looks at the record in Hansard , in committee and so on, that the Alliance considers agriculture as one of its top parliamentary priorities. Everyone can be assured that the Alliance's efforts on behalf of farmers will not abate.

This was the fifth driest year on record for my province of Saskatchewan, but I do not want to seem to be concerned only about my backyard. I had the opportunity to spend some time in the maritimes this past summer travelling with our leader, the member for Okanagan--Coquihalla. When we were in the province of New Brunswick we saw some of the effects of the drought. New Brunswick received only 17.3 millimetres of rain in July compared with normal precipitation in the range of about 102 millimetres.

Livestock producers are searching for water and are being forced to sell off their land in parts of the country. The impact of the drought is hurting cattle ranchers in B.C., on the prairies, in Quebec, in Ontario and in the maritimes.

The Medicine Hat office of the PFRA has estimated that 95% of surface water in southern Alberta is depleted. Some of those pastures may bounce back, but they will not regain full productivity until maybe a decade down the road.

When we visited New Brunswick we saw that ranchers and farmers are hurting because of the drought or the lack of rain. They estimate that their forage crops will be down by 25% to 40% in that province.

I will describe some of the impacts in Saskatchewan and the riding of Saskatoon--Wanuskewin which I have the privilege to represent. Oilseed production is down. Canola production is down by 38% from last year. Durum wheat has fallen by 49%, almost by half from last year, to the lowest level in recent history.

The drought is not only affecting the west or my backyard but also Ontario. Corn production is down by 20%. Soybean production is down by 25%.

We met with the head of the potato board of the Prince Edward Island Federation of Agriculture. He indicated to us that the lack of rain was expected to cut the 2001 yield crop of vegetables by at least half, if not more. That reduces the gross farm revenue by at least $62.5 million. This is pretty significant. It is not an isolated or remote spot in Saskatchewan. It is in different parts of the country.

I draw to everyone's attention some of the things that must be done, as has already been suggested by members. We have had years of neglect by the Liberal government. We are now faced with the drought and the impact of disastrously low commodity prices.

The minister of agriculture needs to get a special committee together to carefully analyze the grains and oilseed sector crisis we face.

Ranchers are asking for something that is very reasonable. They are liquidating their herds because of the drought. They want to be able to defer the tax on that sale for at least one year to allow them to repurchase breeding stock. Asking for that one year extension is not unreasonable.

Members of the official opposition on this side of the House have often talked of how existing safety net programs need to be dramatically improved to ensure they meet the needs of our farmers. Some of the suggestions for change have come from our agriculture critic, the hon. member for Selkirk--Interlake. I commend him for the consistent job he has been doing over a considerable time keeping us rallied, focused and hammering on this issue.

With respect to existing safety net programs, the crop insurance program needs to be significantly improved to ensure that it covers all the costs that producers incur in seeding their crop.

The regulations surrounding natural disasters need to be amended to ensure that farmers receive compensation for inputs lost due to natural disasters, as we are facing now. If that had been in place in southeastern Saskatchewan and southwestern Manitoba, they would have received disaster assistance on the other side of the equation when they had flooded farmland back in 1998.

The net income stabilization account must be made more accessible. I have talked to countless farmers on numerous occasions who have told me how they need to be able to get better access to NISA. The calculation of NISA eligible costs should be adjusted to include grain transportation costs as well.

We have suggested other practical things such as reducing the costs imposed on farmers by the federal government. We have some pretty excessive taxes on things like farm fuel, user fees, taxes on taxes, and taxes on inputs.

We need to encourage farmer driven value added processing. The Canadian Wheat Board market monopoly is a hindrance that gets in the way. It should get out of the way so that farmers can get on with the job. That is what farmers want. They want marketing choice. Farmers' costs should be reduced by modernizing the grain handling and transportation system.

The Canadian Alliance policies have been built through continued consultations with farmers and farm groups. We put together the action for struggling agriculture producers, ASAP for short. It heard from more than 3,500 farmers at 70 different meetings in five provinces.

The member for Battlefords--Lloydminster was very instrumental in that and a key player. It was pushed forward by our lead critic, the hon. member for Selkirk--Interlake. Our consultations will not stop. They will continue.

We have put in considerable effort and we need to build on that. Our leader, the member for Okanagan--Coquihalla, has been in the forefront of this in Parliament. After the last election there was a letter to the Prime Minister and we have gone after this in question period time and again. We have made almost a hundred statements on the issue. A variety of farm issues have come up that we have pressed on and that we will continue to press on.

We had a vote in the House asking for an additional $400 million in emergency help and the Liberals voted it down. The Canadian Alliance will continue the fight. We will fight for farmers. We have been leading the fight for farmers in recent years and we will continue. For more details on these efforts I would ask all those interested to visit our agriculture website at www.canadianalliance.caagriculture.

[Gurmant Grewal, Canadian Alliance, Surrey Central, BC]

Mr. Chairman, on behalf of the people from Surrey Central I am very pleased to participate in this debate on the agricultural industry. I would also like to extend my thanks to our agriculture critics, the hon. member for Selkirk--Interlake and the hon. member for Cypress Hills--Grasslands, who have done an excellent job in being proactive and listening to the farmers about their concerns time after time.

I can tell viewers as well as members that before doing my M.B.A. I did my first degree in agriculture honours at the number one university in Asia, Punjab Agricultural University. I mention this because the university worked together with the government of Punjab state and brought about a green revolution in the state. The Punjab has an area of about 2% of the country but it produces over 70% of the food for the whole country. This shows how effective a government role, as well as that of an institution, can be in bringing about a green revolution.

From the agricultural perspective here in Canada, when I compare it with my experience of agriculture in India, I believe that the government approach in Canada is one of neglect, not only in the budget, health care or various other areas such as defence, organized crime, terrorism and so on, but specifically in agriculture. Farmers have not been listened to by government in regard to their problems and neither does the government appear to be looking forward to addressing the problems. I do not see any political will from the government to address those issues.

[An hon. member]

I don't see any politicians.

[Gurmant Grewal, Canadian Alliance, Surrey Central, BC]

Exactly. Attendance in the House shows that only one Liberal member is listening to the debate. I thank him for being here.

Canada is geographically the second largest country in the world. We can be number one in agriculture or at least make our agricultural accomplishments known at the international level. Remember that when we visit other countries people talk about Canadian wheat, but given the circumstances the farmers are surrounded by here I think it is a pity for the farming industry in general.

A few weeks ago I toured some farms in my constituency of Surrey Central. I was amazed by the particular initiatives of the farmers and how well some can do by diversification because they cannot survive with traditional farming practices. One farmer ventured into herb production and that farm is the largest herb and special plant producer in North America. Another farmer went into blueberries, Purewal Farms, and it is also the largest blueberry farm in North America.

Some smart farmers are shifting from traditional farming, and the government has to address that issue.

I have noticed so many particular issues like the wheat board, for example. Why would government interfere with the marketing of a specific commodity? Similarly, there is the labour code. Farm workers cannot apply for employment insurance. I compare that with the fishery industry. Why is there a double standard? The farmers do face crises in labour.

Some farmers told me that their vehicles were stopped on the road for safety inspections and their labourers, who worked hard all day from early in the morning until late in the evening, were left sitting on the side of the road for four and half hours. Why would the inspectors not go to the farms and examine the vehicles there?

There are so many things to consider, like pesticides. In Canada we of course want to be environmentally friendly and protect our environment, but certain pesticides are banned in Canada and not in the U.S. I understand where the government is coming from but look at the impact. Farm produce from the U.S., where those pesticides are used and help make farming more economical, is allowed into Canada and consumed in the Canadian market. Why not have standardization and look at it from the perspective of making our industry competitive? I believe that the farm industry in general is a business. Why is the business not profitable? It should be profitable.

We see the dumping of produce into the Canadian market, for example, tomatoes. I visited some B.C. hothouses, which are greenhouses where tomatoes are produced. They are having a crisis because the government does not address dumping by the U.S. tomato producers. Free trade is not fair trade. Our agriculture industry is paying the price.

Similarly with crop insurance, I notice that for the fruit producers in the Okanagan Valley when there is a climatic catastrophe the crops are not being properly insured, because crop insurance is a major issue for those farmers.

There are so many other issues I can mention but my time is up. I believe that the government should listen to the farmers, be proactive and make the farming industry profitable in Canada rather than having farmers selling farms and facing this crisis. Now that we have the recent situation of drought in the agricultural community, farmers are facing unprecedented difficulties. The Liberal government is completely ignoring the needs of the family farms and it is ruining rural Canada. The costs of the ongoing farming crisis and the impact of the drought are significant and the government needs to address that. The low commodity prices are affecting the farmers and the government is completely ignoring that too.

I believe the government should pay attention, look into the root causes of these problems and develop a strategic plan whereby the farmers are assured that they should have confidence in this industry and make their industry useful for the country, not only for the farmers but for the 31 million of us living in Canada.

[The Speaker]

It being 7.35 p.m., pursuant to the order made earlier today the committee will rise and I will leave the chair.

The House stands adjourned until tomorrow at 10 a.m. pursuant to Standing Order 24(1).

(The House adjourned at 7.35 p.m.)