Mr. Speaker, this Conservative government has set out to shut down the port of Churchill by means of more bad Conservative decision making. I am referring to its plan to destroy the Canadian Wheat Board by allowing a dual marketing system to come into effect.
The Wheat Board is the single largest user of the port of Churchill and the town's economy will be absolutely ruined if the board is compromised. The Canadian Wheat Board uses the port of Churchill because it provides the maximum return to producers located in north and central Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
With the loss of the rail traffic, towns, aboriginal communities and jobs along the Bayline railway will be hit hard as well. Weakening the Wheat Board will weaken the economy of this region.
The government rather than dictating policy should allow farmers to decide their future.