Mr. Speaker, scant days after the release of the Prime Minister's caucus task force on future opportunities and farming concluded that the government was not doing enough to deal with the farm income crisis, the agriculture minister was yet again warning farmers that government's pockets were not as deep so farmers should not expect to see any bridge financing in the near future to offset the international subsidies. Yet the government itself is projecting a $10 billion surplus at least this year.
Would the Deputy Prime Minister please tell farmers what the agriculture minister's rationale is for saying that there is not sufficient funds?