Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to speak to the motion. As a new member of Parliament, I have had the opportunity to travel around my riding and meet with farmers from different agricultural sectors. One thing they have in common right now is that agriculture has been hard hit.
We know what we have seen as a focus of late. We have seen how taxpayer money in the past has been squandered in such an irresponsible fashion, and perhaps illegal fashion, when hard-working families and farmers, those in the agricultural sectors, have seen very little support for an industry currently in crisis.
Farmers need our support now more than ever. Strong leadership is needed on the agricultural files. I would suggest that is exactly what has been lacking from the government.
I met informally with a group of farmers in my riding, representing the different agricultural sectors. They shared with me how Liberal inaction and lack of leadership had hurt them and their families. We spoke about the grand announcement of programs and billions of dollars announced, or perhaps re-announced. We spoke about the millions of dollars thrown about here and there and how often times they were perplexed because none of that money reached them on their farms. Perhaps it is because the forms they need to access those funds have been so terrifically complicated that one must hire a lawyer or an accountant to find out what exactly they have to do to qualify. In many cases the programs that are out there are not enough and farmers do not qualify. In the end, they are left in a desperate situation.
I spoke to many farmers who have lost their farms as of late and many who have considered getting out of the family farm, Many have children, who wanted to follow in the footsteps of their parents, are now questioning whether that is a viable reality.
We talked about plunging beef prices. We talked about a lack of slaughter capacity. We talked about the new budget and in particular the news for Atlantic Canada about the closure of research centres in Atlantic Canada. That is terrible news. We are a vast country and every region has unique needs. These Atlantic centres were providing research that was applicable in that area. To announce something like that in a budget is just another kick when so many are down.
I am please to say that the Conservative Party has been listening to farmers and we are working hard to ensure that they have a better future.
I was pleased to attend and participate in our Conservative Party of Canada's first policy convention this past March. This was an opportunity for Conservatives from coast to coast to put forward policies for our party as we headed into the future. Due to the great importance of agriculture to our country, agricultural issues were at the forefront of our meetings.
Under the leadership from our agricultural critic, the member for Haldimand—Norfolk, our party passed strong resolutions to support Canadian farmers.
Agriculture plays a very important role in my riding of Fundy Royal. In fact over 50% of New Brunswick's dairy production comes from my riding alone. Therefore, I was pleased particularly with our party's strong support for industries under the protection of supply management.
As a matter of fact, at our policy convention we passed a resolution specifically on supply/management which I would like to read. It states:
The Conservative Party of Canada believes it is in the best interest of Canada and Canadian agriculture that the industries under the protection of supply management remain viable. A Conservative government will support the goal of supply management to deliver a high quality product to consumers for a fair price with a reasonable return to the producer.
Further to that, we also passed a resolution that forms our party's guiding principles when dealing with agricultural issues, forms the foundation for how we deal with agriculture in the future. I will read from that also:
The Conservative Party views the agriculture industry to be a key strategic economic sector of Canada. We recognize that various regions of Canada and sectors of the industry hold competitive advantages in agricultural production. National agricultural policy will reflect our belief that one size does not fit all.
Agriculture policy must be developed only in consultation with the agricultural producers. Our farmers today are business operators and to dictate policy which might have an adverse effect on this business community would have negative consequences and go against Conservative Party principles. Balancing financial responsibility with support programs that actually work is a major priority of this party.
As can be seen, one fundamental difference between our party and others is the high value we place on Canadian agriculture. We put farmers first when we deal on the international stage and when we deal with domestic support for agricultural communities. It is for that reason that the principles I read form part of our policy of going into the future.
Canada's agricultural sectors are as diverse as Canada itself. I believe our policy reflects that. It is in light of that diversity that we proposed to the Bloc, who moved this motion we are debating today, a friendly amendment to the motion we are now debating. Our friendly amendment read:
That in the opinion of this House, in the current World Trade Organization negotiations, the government should seek an agreement that strengthens the international marketing position of Canada's agricultural exporters while at the same time does not weaken the supply management system and collective marketing strategies.
Unfortunately, the Bloc have chosen not to support our amendment.
For the record, the Conservative Party of Canada and myself fully support supply management. Our policy reflects this support. In fact, both our leader and our agricultural critic are on the record as supporting the three pillars of supply management. Our party supports as well the 90% of Canadian and the 66%, I might add, of Quebec producers who are not under supply management.
Therefore, our amendment seeks protection for supply management and also seeks the enhancement of agricultural exports that is so needed by many sectors in our country.
We know that no one agricultural sector wants to profit at the expense of another and our friendly amendment to this motion reflects that reality.
I am pleased to speak to this motion brought forward by the Bloc and I also wish to call on the government to honour the commitments it has made to Canadian producers and to negotiate in good faith at the World Trade Organization.
Too often our farmers are let down by a Liberal government that will not negotiate in their best interest on the international stage and on agricultural issues. We need to look no further than the current BSE crisis which is also having a tremendous impact on many sectors of agriculture across the country in every region, including sectors under supply management.
The Liberals have failed time and time again to negotiate an open border with our largest trading partner and we know that Canada's farmers have suffered greatly for that failure. We have also seen Liberals pit one agricultural sector against another in international negotiations.
All sectors of agriculture in the country deserve our support. I am pleased to be part of a caucus that is determined and committed to supporting and defending all Canadian farmers.
The Conservative Party will continue to support Canada's farmers. We will continue to stand by dairy, poultry and egg producers. Unlike our current government, a Conservative government will protect Canada's farmers in international negotiations.
All Canadians deserve nothing less than a government that will always act in their best interest. I look forward to working with all members of this House to see that interests of our farmers are defended in international negotiations.