Madam Speaker, the hon. member for Malpeque has raised a lot of good issues. I do not think we have trained seals here. I think we have predatory sea lions who are attacking the farmers base in Western Canada. I cannot imagine why they would continue to vote for them in the future.
To the hon. member for Malpeque, I would like to read a very short note to the Prime Minister from a western farmer from Saskatchewan. It says:
Dear Prime Minister,
In these troubled economic times, I hope your government will be working to support grain producers in the same way you are working with other sectors of the Canadian economy.
That's why I'm disappointed to learn that the Agriculture Minister has introduced changes to the Grain Act that will hurt grain producers.
Instead of helping Canada's grain producers the bill would:
Shift the purpose of the Grain Act away from protecting producer interests
Expose producers to financial harm by eliminating the requirement for grain buyers to post security bonds
Dismantle the Grain Appeal Tribunal which protects producers from unscrupulous behaviour on the part of grain companies
Eliminate Canadian Grain Commission services that independently determine the quality and quantity of grain delivered, returning producers to the position of not knowing if they are receiving fair payment.
If you think grain farmers are as important and worthy as those in the banking and auto industries that your government is supporting, I ask you to withdraw these provisions and make sure that these changes put the interests of grain producers first.
The hon. member for Malpeque may want to comment on one of these western farmers who does not seem to be in lockstep with this backward move that would take us back to the 1800s in terms of grain regulation.