House of Commons photoLost his last election, in 2019, with 34% of the vote.
Canadian Wheat Board Act December 13th, 1996
Mr. Speaker, as the hon. gentleman knows, grain marketing in western Canada is a topic of considerable debate among farmers and others.
Farmers have made strong recommendations for changes in legislation. Farmers are anxious for those changes to come forward for their consideration and ultimate enactment by Parliament as rapidly as possible. Indeed the Reform Party has also been urging the government to move in that very direction.
Canadian Food Inspection Agency Act December 12th, 1996
moved:
Motion No. 34
That Bill C-60 be amended by adding before line 1 on page 10 the following:
"32.1 The provisions made by any Appropriation Act for the fiscal year in which this section comes into force or a subsequent fiscal year, based on the Estimates for that year, to defray the charges and expenses of the public service of Canada within the Departments of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Fisheries and Oceans and Health in relation to any matter for which the Agency is responsible by virtue of Section 11 are deemed to be an amount appropriated for defraying the charges and expenses of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency in such amount as the Treasury Board may, on the recommendations of the Ministers of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Fisheries and Oceans and Health, determine."
Recommendation (Pursuant to Standing Order 76(3))
His Excellency the Governor General recommends to the House of Commons the appropriation of public revenue under the circumstances, in the manner and for the purposes set out in the following amendment to Bill C-60, An Act to establish the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and to repeal and amend other Acts as a consequence. That Bill C-60 be amended by adding before line 1 on page 10 the following:
"32.1 The provisions made by any Appropriation Act for the fiscal year in which this section comes into force or a subsequent fiscal year, based on the Estimates for that year, to defray the charges and expenses of the public service of Canada within the Departments of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Fisheries and Oceans and Health in relation to any matter for which the Agency is responsible by virtue of Section 11 are deemed to be an amount appropriated for defraying the charges and expenses of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency in such amount as the Treasury Board may, on the recommendations of the Ministers of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Fisheries and Oceans and Health, determine."
Agriculture December 10th, 1996
Opposition members cry out "why not". If they do not understand that fundamental precept of justice, then there is nothing that could possibly save them.
In terms of the particular alleged transactions that the hon. gentleman makes reference to, I would be happy to have the Canadian Wheat Board and the relevant grain companies explain the procedure to him.
Agriculture December 10th, 1996
Mr. Speaker, I obviously am not in a position and would not as a matter of propriety comment upon any particular legal matter which is now before the courts.
Agriculture December 10th, 1996
Mr. Speaker, it is obviously very clear that under the regulations of the Canadian Wheat Board Act and other pertinent pieces of legislation there is an export procedure provided under the law and under the regulations for the exportation of all wheat and barley. All of those who comply with those rules and regulations may export.
Canadian Wheat Board December 4th, 1996
Mr. Speaker, the fundamental point is that the direction and control of the Canadian Wheat Board will be placed in the hands of a board of directors, the majority of which will be producer elected across western Canada. The hon. gentleman fundamentally misunderstands corporate governance.
Canadian Wheat Board December 4th, 1996
Mr. Speaker, the legislation that we have put before the House of Commons does in fact provide for a more accountable, more flexible, more transparent Canadian Wheat Board, to use the language of the hon. gentleman.
It does call for a majority of the board of directors of the Canadian Wheat Board to be elected by farmers across western Canada and of course the board itself will be accountable to that new board of directors including a producer elected majority.
The fundamental difference between this government and that party is that party has an agenda with respect to the Canadian Wheat Board that would utterly destroy the institution and this government will defend it.
Agriculture December 3rd, 1996
Mr. Speaker, I was in Geneva in December 1993 in the final hours of the Uruguay round. I know of the dramatic impact on our supply managed farmers of relinquishing old article 11 under the old GATT in return for comprehensive tariffication under the new World Trade Organization.
We negotiated a solid economic environment for supply management under the WTO and we promised to defend that. We kept our promise. We succeeded in a very strong NAFTA panel ruling yesterday. That ruling says our tariff equivalents are consistent both with the WTO and the NAFTA and that it applies to ice cream and yogurt.
Canadian Wheat Board Act December 3rd, 1996
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-72, an act to amend the Canadian Wheat Board Act and to make consequential amendments to other acts.
Mr. Speaker, I simply wish to inform the House that in accordance with Standing Order 73(1), it is the intention of the government that this bill be referred to a committee before second reading.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed.)
Agriculture December 2nd, 1996
Mr. Speaker, this program involved 242,000 applications. It covered 77.6 million acres of farm land, 720,000 different parcels which had to be adjusted for 924 distance factors and over a dozen different soil zones. This was the largest and most complicated program of its kind in Canadian history.
I am very pleased to note the auditor general's observations. He said in his report: "Nothing came to our attention in the course of our review to suggest that there were significant problems with these payments". Given the dour and taciturn nature of auditors, that is as close as we can come to high praise.