Mr. Speaker, once again, in the throne speech of this year and the throne speeches that I have heard over the last 11 years, agriculture, which is one of the most vital industries across this country, has been mentioned in about three words. Agriculture is probably one of the largest, if not the largest, employer of people due to its spinoff industries that affect all Canadians who rely on this industry.
Farmers deserve to make a good living out of their hard work. Canada leads the world in its ability to produce good products for food. I find it deplorable when it has been ignored to the degree that it has and only warrants three words in the throne speech. It has been the same in every throne speech I have heard. I should have played the tapes of a few of the throne speeches I have heard in the past because the government would not have to have bothered delivering this one because it is the same old stuff.
I wonder if the member realizes today that there will be scores of foreclosures in about one month's time when fall comes. Beef producers and other livestock producers rely on the fall market to make their required payments in order to keep their land. People will lose their land and their livelihood because of the government's inaction.
Do not tell me about the wonderful programs that have been introduced because from all the reports that I have received from Statistics Canada and Access to Information and so on, the average income received by people in my riding from government programs was $924 to this point in time. That hardly pays the power bill. It hardly pays the phone bill in a lot of cases.
Does the government not understand the seriousness of the situation in agriculture? Why has it not been addressed more strongly in the throne speech?