Mr. Speaker, this Conservative government is committed to supporting our beef and pork producers.
As all members of this House are well aware, this Conservative government puts farmers first. That bedrock principle governs everything that the Minister of Agriculture and our department does. I am proud to serve as the parliamentary secretary to a minister who is so committed to putting farmers first.
After 13 years in which the Liberal Party chose not to act, and 18 years in which our friends the Bloc could never act and still can never act, Canadian farmers are thrilled with the strong action being taken by our Conservative government.
As many members of this House well know, Canada's livestock sector has been through some very difficult times in the last few months. That is why this Conservative government has acted to provide relief for this sector.
Let me review what we have delivered for Canadian farmers.
First, the assistance payments for 2006 are under way.
Second, all producers can obtain a form to apply for an interim payment from the AgriStability program for 2007.
Third, targeted advances are being offered to pork producers in Alberta, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Saskatchewan.
Fourth, financial assistance to kick-start the AgriInvest program is now available.
We have also made $3.3 billion available to farmers in the form of loans. Furthermore, just last week the minister provided additional relief to our livestock sector.
In only a few days, the Minister of Agriculture passed legislation through the House and through the Senate. That legislation provided hog producers with a $50 million program to help rationalize the hog population in Canada. It also made changes to the Agricultural Marketing Products Act that made it easier for producers to access the funding that we have made available.
Those changes highlight another key principle of the Conservative government, which is the importance of consultation with farmers.
Unlike previous Liberal governments that think they know best when it comes to designing farm programs, we sat down with farmers and designed programs based on their needs and their concerns.
The recent changes made to AMPA were requested by industry and delivered by this Conservative government.
The $50 million hog program will be delivered by the Canadian Pork Council.
Talk about a strong working relationship with industry.
The member opposite will stand over there and continue his political grandstanding no doubt. Unfortunately for the member opposite, that is all that he can do these days. Some may say that is all he ever did while his party was in government.
Canadian farmers are not fooled by his talk because they see the action that is happening over here. After 13 years of Liberal neglect and 18 years of Bloc irrelevance, Canadian agriculture is back on the map.
Let me tell the House what happens when a government understands agriculture.
In just two short years, we have delivered $4.5 billion for program payments in 2006; $600 million for the AgriInvest Kickstart program; $400 million to cover farmers' increased input costs; $76 million to help farmers combat hog disease; $130 million to help with the disposal of SRM; $50 million to rationalize the hog population in Canada; and $3.3 billion available in loans. What an accomplishment in just two short years.
Canadian farmers appreciate our action on agriculture. Whenever the member opposite decides to show up and vote, then he will find out first-hand.