Mr. Speaker, I rise to present yet another petition on behalf of the thousand farm families and thousands upon thousands of Canadians directly affected by the BSE crisis.
The petitioners point out that the Canadian beef cattle, dairy, goat and sheep industries are in a state of crisis due to the bovine spongiform encephalopathy, BSE, problem. They point out that the aid packages to the industry are inadequate because they do not deal with the disastrously low prices experienced and the imminent collapse of key sectors of the rural economy.
These citizens urge that Parliament open the border as soon as possible, develop a long term solution and provide economic relief that is fair and reflects the importance of these industries in Canada.