Mr. Chair, I have listened since the debate began earlier this evening. I also asked a few questions. I realize the scope of the problem.
I was in farming for many years. I participated in farm unions. I am the son of a farmer. I have had the opportunity to talk about, discuss and be involved in the farm union movement to try to resolve major problems facing Quebec farms. It seems to me, however, that this kind of problem is infinitely more serious than those we had in the past.
Our agricultural system worked relatively well, at least in Quebec. Since 1993, we also had a relatively safe system in terms of animal health and quality. Everything is jeopardized because one mad cow was found in western Canada. Because Quebec's different and distinct nature is not recognized, many Quebec producers are once again paying the price for something totally beyond their control.
Quebec produces 50% of all milk in Canada. With regard to cull cows, Quebec experiences 50% of the problems affecting dairy herds. Why, for example, were some regions not spared?
Imagine the farmer in Champlain who is faced with the problem of a mad cow some 3,000 kilometres away from him. There is no chance of contamination. And yet, no one has ever wanted to work on a regional basis and recognize the regional differences so as to at least save some money. This region might suffer less, leaving more money for those more affected. Still the idea of working in such a system was rejected.
All evening, hon. members have been talking about borders, travel, opening borders, opening markets. I notice that we are forgetting that, in our system of agriculture, at the bottom of it all, there are human beings. They have worked all their lives to establish viable and pleasant businesses, some of which are worth a lot of money.
A farmer came to my office and told me he was a millionaire. He was getting ready for retirement. His pension fund was in his beef cattle, in his animals. He was 59 years old and a millionaire and then, suddenly, he was worth nothing. That is something. That is major stroke of bad luck. I think that we are forgetting the human being in all our discussions.
The human being is at the base of this industry, the the most important one in the country. Agriculture is the industry that creates the most jobs in the country. It is the one that keeps our food supply somewhat secure.
Just imagine for a moment if we lost our agricultural industry. I know this impossible, but it can certainly be severely damaged. Imagine for a moment if we relied on foreign countries for food. What would if cost us? This industry does not concern only the farmer, it concerns all consumers and citizens. When agriculture thrives in a country, the country thrives. In Quebec, when agriculture thrives, so does Quebec because it relies on agriculture to generate jobs.
I believe it was the member for Yellowhead who mentioned earlier how many jobs are created by agriculture. It is significant.
I do not understand how we can abandon the farmers in such a crisis. After they have spent their entire lives working for themselves, of course, but primarily for others, I do not understand why this country cannot come up with the necessary funds to help them get through such a crisis.
I witnessed the Saguenay flood and the ice storm. You heard about it since the ice storm hit Ontario too. I went to see the Red River in Manitoba when it flooded. I went to see what was going on. During all these major disasters, which are called “acts of God” and for which we are not responsible, the government provided help because the individual could not get through it alone.
Currently, the government is not helping enough. It is simple. There are farmers committing suicide. This is happening in Quebec and must be happening elsewhere. I know farmers who had had enough, who were so worried that they took their own lives. This is starting to become a major crisis.
Let us please stop thinking that a trip to Japan, a trip to Korea, discussions with the Americans, or the lack of them, will solve the problem in the medium and long term. Come on, now. What has to be done, of course, is to first solve the problem in the medium and long term.
Someone has said that the problem is not the mad cow crisis, but the mad policy crisis. There are those who are suffering as a result of our policy, who are paying the price. The ones who are suffering do not deserve to have to pay that price, because they are the ones who supply us with food, who create jobs, those we have to trust to develop this country.
I have trouble understanding all this. For example, Quebec has not used the cattle feed that was the cause of the mad cow problem since 1993. Yet, despite the sacrifices made by farmers since 1993, paying a little more to fatten their cattle, how in heaven's name can they now be having to cope with the problem of one mad cow when the cow is 3,000 kilometres away? It makes no sense.
The government will have to pay for this. Not only pay for it, but also make the necessary effort to settle this awful problem. It is not up to a farmer in his twilight years, thinking of retirement but seeing his retirement savings totally depleted because we have not looked after business, because for some reason or other the Americans quite simply want to make us pay.
This system makes no sense. The Minister of Agriculture and Agri-food must do what it takes. I too am calling for an emergency debate, if that is not what this one is.
People in our area, and people all over Canada and Quebec, are counting on us to help them get through these terribly hard times.
I am therefore asking the new Minister of Agriculture and Agri-food, whom I have heard described as being more competent than the last, to sit down with the rest of cabinet and see that the necessary funding is in place to help people get through this crisis.