Ralph Goodale

[Agriculture, October 7th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, over the course of the last several months, including at a federal-provincial conference of agriculture ministers which was held this past summer in Victoria, I have had the opportunity to consider the structure of the Alberta program. It is fair to say that the program is raising concerns among provincial agriculture ministers in several other provinces and among various producer organizations.

One of the fundamental objectives of our new generation of farm safety nets is to try to ensure to the maximum extent humanly

possible that various forms of programming, both federal and provincial, across this country are fair and equitable for producers and as among various regions.

The hon. gentleman can be assured that the Government of Canada will be watching very closely to make certain that all programs are applied in an equitable manner so that all farmers in every corner of this country are treated fairly.

[Agriculture, October 3rd, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, the matching investment initiative is a very creative way in which my department works with the private sector in increasing the total pool of funds available for agri-food R and D in this country.

In the 1995-96 fiscal year, the first year of the program, it was virtually fully subscribed with a total of $24 million being invested in new agri-food research and development activities. So far in 1996-97, just in the first quarter of this fiscal year, we have invested a total of more than $30 million in matched funds under this initiative.

I am confident it will be fully subscribed doing good work from Newfoundland to British Columbia in the interests of agriculture and agri-food in Canada.

[Canadian Wheat Board, October 2nd, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, I am sure the Angus Reid organization will be intrigued with the hon. gentleman's allegation of manipulation. I will be certain to draw that to the attention of Mr. Reid and he can take whatever response he deems appropriate.

With respect to the barley issue, as I have said, the government is on the verge of making its policy pronouncements. The hon.

gentleman has only a few days to wait and I think he may be intrigued by the position we announce.

[Canadian Wheat Board, October 2nd, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, on the first day of this session of Parliament, September 16, I was asked a question by the hon. member for Provencher as to the timing of the government's reaction to the controversy in western Canada about western grain marketing. I indicated in that reply that we would be in a position to announce our policy decisions before Thanksgiving.

I am pleased to confirm that we are on track with that timing. I will be in a position to make an announcement of the government's policy decisions within the next several days.

On the specific allegations the hon. gentleman has made with respect to barley marketing, I presume he is referring to recent media reports carried in Winnipeg and elsewhere. I can assure him those media reports are grossly inflated and are not an accurate representation of the facts.

[The Fight Against Tobacco Use, October 1st, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member should know that the vast majority of funding that is provided by the Department of Agriculture with respect to tobacco is related to agronomic matters and is highly focused on alternatives to tobacco production so that tobacco producers may find ways to diversify away from a dependence on this crop.

[The Late Bert Hargrave, September 30th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to join with my colleagues in the House in expressing our sorrow and the sorrow of the Government of Canada at the passing of Mr. Bert Hargrave.

I spent one term in the House of Commons from 1974 to 1979 serving with Mr. Hargrave. Although we were not on the same side of the House, we shared a strong commitment to Canada, particularly to its agricultural concerns where beyond all doubt Bert Hargrave was an expert.

Anyone who had spent any time with Bert would come away with a far better understanding of agriculture, most especially the cattle business. Bert, a fourth generation cattleman, was tireless in his efforts to promote and defend his fellow cattle producers. Whenever the subject of beef came up in the House one could be assured that Bert Hargrave would be on his feet supporting his industry.

Bert, who served his constituents from 1972 until 1984, fought most of his battles from the opposition benches. He fought very well. I recall one incident during my time earlier in the House in 1977 when a five year lobby by Bert Hargrave ended in success when 90,000 acres of the Suffield, Alberta defence research station were opened to cattle producers for grazing purposes. These were not the kinds of victories that create great national headlines, but they are the kind that truly help one's constituents.

Mr. Hargrave did get to spend a brief period of time on the government side in the House of Commons in 1979. As the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party has pointed out, he was during that period appointed parliamentary secretary to the minister of agriculture, a recognition of his commitment to the agricultural sector.

During that time the government further demonstrated its confidence in the former member for Medicine Hat by naming him chair of its beef consultative committee.

Let me join with others in paying tribute to the late Bert Hargrave, one of those who took the concerns of his friends and neighbours in the most direct way possible, the electoral process. Through that process he served with great distinction. We extend our sincere condolences to the Hargrave family.

[Agriculture, September 30th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, the weather conditions over the last couple of weeks, at least in some parts of the prairies, are most definitely a matter of concern to many farmers. Hopefully this fall will still materialize in such a way that the weather person will co-operate and we will see that in due course.

Naturally the Government of Canada is concerned. We are watching the situation closely. Of course, we have a rather elaborate safety net system already in place to deal with production and marketing problems that affect agriculture from time to time. If necessary, we do have special provisions for special advances under government legislation which we would consider invoking if that should become necessary.

[Agriculture, September 26th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, at the Cairns group meeting in Cartagena earlier this summer, the 14 nations that make up that group had an extensive opportunity to discuss their various trade strategies heading toward the next round of GATT negotiations at the turn of the century.

The topic of state trading enterprises was one of the subjects under discussion. There was very significant support all around the table not just from Canada, not just from New Zealand, not just from Australia; the general consensus of the group was to take a position in defence of the rights of countries to have and to maintain state trading enterprises that suit their respective circumstances.

On this topic I would invite the hon. gentleman from his privileged position in the House to help explain to his neighbours over there in the Reform Party that when it comes to the policy of the Government of Canada that is set in Ottawa and not in Washington.

[Agriculture, September 25th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, contrary to what the hon. gentleman has just said, in preparation for the Cairns group meetings there were discussions between representatives of farm organizations and myself, including the Canadian Federation of Agriculture and others.

The reports of the Cairns group meetings were published at the conclusion of the meetings and broadly carried in the international press.

May I just re-emphasize for the benefit of the hon. member and others, any future decisions to be taken about our marketing institutions or anything else having to do with Canadian agriculture will be made in Canada by Canadians for our own good Canadian reasons and we will not be driven by foreign capital.

[Federal Food Inspection Agency, September 25th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, the new Canadian food inspection agency is an exciting new innovation in government operations which is widely approved and supported throughout the agriculture and agri-food sector.

The new agency will involve some new innovations in its human resources regime to provide the necessary flexibility for the agency to function effectively. But of course the core values of the public service will be incorporated into the operations of the new agency. Fair treatment of employees will be paramount in the transition process that we, of necessity, have to go through.

I would add that also paramount is our absolute determination to ensure that Canadians will continue to benefit from the safest and highest quality food supply in the world.