Mr. Speaker, it is a good day and it is a sad day. It is a good day when we hear a speech like that and we receive the experience of a member who has been in the House for quite some time. She has done an admirable job of representing the interests of agriculture and of rural Canada. Being from a rural riding, I look up to her and use her work as a guide.
It is regrettable that it is the last little while for the member. I understand she will not be returning. However, I thank her for all her work. We all hold her in high regard and admiration.
Supply management is important to me in two senses. One is that my riding has a lot of supply managed interests in dairy, poultry and egg production. Second, it is important to me as a consumer. It amazes me we can have a system that works, a system in which I pay less for milk than I pay for water. I think I need something like six litres of water to make a litre of milk. I pay less for the milk and the farmer can still earn a good living, sustain the farm and that rural family business. I would like the member to discuss perhaps the challenges facing our negotiators.
Other producers in my riding, pork producers, grain producers, want a level playing field. In the meantime, we want to protect our supply management. Could the member perhaps talk about the challenges facing the negotiating team?