Mr. Speaker, I thank the minister for being here and I thank the member for Battlefords—Lloydminster for bringing forward this emergency debate.
I wish the minister could hear the calls that come into the offices of most of the MPs, calls from feedlot operators and producers. They are saying that the fat market has dropped $10 a hundred. They are getting 10¢ a pound for their calf prices. Their cattle are down $100 to $150. They are losing our shirts. I had a call from a pastor about a guy who was ready to release his cattle. He had given up hope.
People are looking at the minister to step forward and make a difference. If there are issues that are dividing us with the U.S., let us deal with them. I know the minister will stand and say that the President does this and he does that. However, is there anything the minister can do that he has not done already to get money into extra slaughter plants? The loan loss reserve is not working. What more can he do?