Mr. Speaker, I have been attempting to speak for quite some time. My question is not necessarily on what the minister talked about. The automotive policy he has introduced today is fantastic.
I would like to respond to one of the Bloc members who said there was nothing in the budget for agriculture. Betty Jean Crews, vice-president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture said:
Farmers traditionally turn to budgets for word of what governments have in store for them financially. This time the federal government introduced a change to that tradition.
Finance Minister...presented Ottawa's 2008 budget on Tuesday, February 26th, but the day before Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister...had his own announcement for agriculture. It was welcome news for the country's struggling livestock producers as it increased the maximum available as an emergency advance payment to 400 thousand dollars from 25 thousand per producers.
The OFA and our partners at the Canadian Federation of Agriculture right across the country are really pleased with the Minister of Agriculture and the budget, the way it has been presented.