Mr. Speaker, inconsistent foreign restrictions on the importation of beef products have caused great harm to Canada's beef industry.
The Liberal government has been unprepared for this problem and since the worst has occurred, the government has taken minimal and inadequate remedial action.
What is needed is for the government to immediately institute internationally recognized protocols. We need to replace damaging political posturing relating to borders with sensible, agreeable rules for all concerned.
Farmers in my riding are not simply experiencing a slowdown in their business, they are going under. For many of them, this is the most disastrous time of their lives and the most distressing time for their family members. But the government has remained virtually silent.
We cannot even say that the government is missing in action because the government is really not a part of the action.
Cattlemen across the country have given up hope that the Liberal government will do anything and have had to take it upon themselves to deal with U.S. officials directly.