Mr. Chair, if the minister thinks I am confused, he ought to meet with the farmers in my riding. There were about 120 at a meeting a few weeks ago and there was lots of confusion about the way that money flows, or does not flow, from the federal ministry and from the provincial ministry. I am glad to hear the minister say tonight that there is in fact new money. I want him to know that we will hold him to that because we will be watching.
We have a significant number of farmers in our area who did not qualify for CAIS this year who thought they would. They played by the rules. They thought they understood how the formula worked. They applied thinking that they would get that money. They were counting on that money to get them through this winter and to hold the banks at bay, but it did not come. There is no cheque in the mail. There is no money. These folks have been through a couple of really tough years.
The minister has to get out and talk to some more farmers. I suggest that he is probably talking to some of the leadership and some of the organizations that represent farmers. They may not be giving him the full story. He needs to get down into the grassroots and talk to farmers, like the one that is here tonight. I suggest he take a few minutes tonight to talk with my constituent who drove nine hours to be here to listen to this debate and to perhaps contribute in some way if he could to clarify the situation by letting us know what is happening to him and his neighbours.