Mr. Speaker, you would not believe how incredibly difficult this summer has been for the farmers. The closing of the U.S. border to the export of our beef is devastating the industry.
I am sure that the agriculture minister, the finance minister and both prime ministers have a total incapacity to understand the meaning of losing 85% or 90% of their income.
I have a large number of people in my riding who depend on the beef industry. I think of the Andersons, who operate a major feedlot and who are expecting their fourth child. Producing high quality beef is their livelihood and it is evaporating.
There are hundreds like them and this government seems to have no concern for them at all.
Imagine: these Liberals voted against an opposition motion to send a high level delegation to Washington and to make an extraordinary effort to reopen the border. Maybe the motion confused them, because it referred to the Prime Minister and right now we do not have one.