Andy Mitchell

[Agriculture, November 4th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, when the hon. member talks about what this government has done in respect of supporting those communities, there have been four separate initiatives, collectively with the provinces and totalling over $2 billion, that have been undertaken to assist our beef producers and the industry.

On this side of the House we are not concerned about the anti-rhetoric we hear from them every day. We are interested in getting results and making investments for our beef producers, and that is what we are doing.

[Agriculture, November 4th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, that is absolute nonsense. There have been over 150 separate occasions where we have intervened with the Americans specifically on the BSE issue. That is hardly on the back burner. I talked to the U.S. ambassador yesterday about this issue and talked to the secretary of agriculture just a few hours ago.

[Agriculture, November 3rd, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member makes a very important point and that is the need to increase slaughter capacity. That is why we did two very important things on September 10. One was to create a pool of money, a loan loss reserve, to help in the financing of new slaughter capacity. The other was to provide additional resources to the CFIA so it could effectively provide the regulatory framework so that these new slaughter capacities could be brought on line.

[Agriculture, November 3rd, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, it is quite the contrary. Over the last while we have had over 150 individual interventions with our American counterparts specifically designed to deal with the BSE issue.

I have met with the minister once personally. Twice we have had in-depth discussions about this. All members on this side of the aisle have been dealing with the Americans aggressively to get the border opened. That is what we have been doing and that is what we will continue to do.

[Agriculture, November 3rd, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, the reality is that the announcement of September 10 does contain within it components to build new slaughter capacity that can deal with culled animals as well. There is a managing older animals program that is part of the announcement of September 10.

As I have said on several occasions, we feel it is absolutely essential to deal with the cull animals coming out of dairy operations. I have made a commitment to work with various political leaders on this with the industry and we are working toward a specific solution in that respect.

[Agriculture, November 2nd, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, unlike the hon. member across the way, I am interested in getting the border open, not in creating a legal process that may go on for years and years and years. Our intention is to have the border opened.

The reality is that we have not ignored cattle producers. In fact, $2.1 billion between the provincial and federal governments is flowing to beef producers. Also, on September 10 we made an announcement that will work toward ensuring that the industry can be profitable with or without a border opening.

[Agriculture, November 2nd, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, anything but. The reality is that the September 10 announcement provides additional support for creating increased slaughter capacity. The reality is that through the various programs the federal government working with the provinces have provided for those involved in the beef industry, there has been a little over $2 billion in support.

As I have said, there are issues in terms of the dairy industry and we are in fact working on those.

[Agriculture, November 2nd, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, like I said, in terms of increased slaughter capacity which is essential to resolve this issue, there is funding that is being made available.

In terms of the actual pricing of the cull cows, there are three component parts to that. First, there is what the market continues to provide. Second, the Canadian Dairy Commission when it establishes the price of milk takes into account any decrease in the inventory value of the animals. Then there is the issue of providing direct government support.

If we are to go that route, it is essential that that support go to producers.

[Agriculture, November 2nd, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, there are two component parts to this issue that are important.

First is the need to have increased slaughter capacity in the province of Quebec in a competitive environment, and that the announcement on September 10 is providing additional resources to do.

There is also the issue of cull cows from the dairy herds. That is an issue in Quebec. It is also an issue in other parts of Canada. I have indicated a willingness to try to arrive at a solution working with my provincial colleagues and with industry associations. We will find a solution that assists producers.

[Agriculture, October 29th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, certainly in the short term to ensure that there is liquidity, there are a number of sources of revenue that are going to beef producers. First of all, the CAIS payments in respect to 2003 are being made. Advances for 2004 are being made. The last of the payments under the TISP have been made in the last couple of weeks and a special cash advance for beef producers is being put in place.

To date, under CAIS, some $275 million has been disbursed this year and additional moneys will be disbursed. In addition to that, as I mentioned earlier, the September 10 announcement dealing with the long term stability and profitability of the industry is putting in--