You asked the question; wait for the answer. When the subsidy is removed and the freight rate goes up, obviously there will be an impact upon farm land and it is that impact toward which the payment is directed.
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Agriculture March 20th, 1995
You asked the question; wait for the answer. When the subsidy is removed and the freight rate goes up, obviously there will be an impact upon farm land and it is that impact toward which the payment is directed.
Agriculture March 20th, 1995
Mr. Speaker, as the hon. gentleman will know, the freight rate in western Canada has in one form or another been subsidized or kept at an artificially low rate for the better part of 100 years. When that occurs for that long period of
time the value of the freight rate becomes capitalized into the value of the farm land.
For example, when the capital gains tax valuation day came around in 1971 the value of the farm land was higher than it otherwise would have been because the produce off that farm land had been subsidized for a long period of time by means of the predecessors to the WGTA. The value of the farm land was higher because of the subsidy.
Canadian Wheat Board March 14th, 1995
Mr. Speaker, the leader of the Reform Party is as much of a diplomatic disappointment in Washington as he is a political disappointment in Canada.
I want to assure the hon. member that the leader of the Reform Party in no way speaks for the Government of Canada. The Canadian Wheat Board is and always has been a fair international trading agency, as multiple studies by the United States have demonstrated. Decisions about Canadian grain marketing systems and policies will be made in Canada by Canadians, not in any foreign capital.
The Budget March 2nd, 1995
Mr. Speaker, the discussions with respect to the efficiencies package have been ongoing now for several months with the active involvement of 14 or 15 farm organizations in western Canada, together with a variety of other stakeholders in the industry.
We have indicated to the stakeholders participating in the discussions that as soon as the fiscal framework was tabled in the House in the form of the budget, which of course happened on Monday of this week, we would want to proceed very quickly with the finalization of the details.
Therefore, as far as the efficiencies package is concerned to the extent that it requires legislation, that legislation can be concluded conceptually within the course of the next month. It can be presented to Parliament this spring and enacted into law before June 1995.
The Budget March 2nd, 1995
Mr. Speaker, as the hon. gentleman will know, over the course of the last year or so some good progress has been made in dealing with regulatory issues. We have passed in the House new legislation pertaining to the Canada Grain Act, which is a step in that direction, to improve the regulatory situation.
Certainly a major part of our western grain transportation reform plan is an efficiency package, which is being worked upon by the Minister of Transport and myself in consultation with all stakeholders in the western Canadian grain handling system, to develop a system in western Canada that is substantially lower in cost overall, certainly much more efficient than it is today and faster in getting our grain to the markets where it needs to be.
The Budget March 1st, 1995
Mr. Speaker, I note that a number of farmers in western Canada over the course of the last two days in commenting on the budget have noted that the change with respect to freight rates in western Canada has the potential to encourage diversification and value added production in the west.
I would point out that the hon. gentleman, coming from Saskatchewan, should perhaps know with respect to the $1.6 billion ex gratia capital payment that something in the order of $800 million or more of that total will find its way into the province of Saskatchewan because of that province's historical share of grain movement.
It does not include Saskatchewan's share of the $300 million adjustment fund. It does not include the capital gains tax advantage. It does not include the time cost of money that will accrue to the recipients of those payments and not to the government. It does not include the impact on efficiency in the transportation system.
Questions On The Order Paper February 24th, 1995
(a) The Canadian Wheat Board accounts are audited by an independent external auditor, Deloitte and Touche, Chartered Accountants. In addition, management of the Canadian Wheat Board is responsible for having good internal controls and formal policies and procedures to ensure the integrity and reliability of accounting and financial reporting. Management continually evaluates policies and procedures to ensure they meet the needs of the board and comply with current Canadian accounting standards. An internal audit group independently assesses the effectiveness of internal controls and recommends improvements.
(b) Audit results are published each year in the annual report of the Canadian Wheat Board which is tabled in Parliament and publicly available.
(c) As of 30 September 1994, the Canadian Wheat Board accounts receivable due from foreign customers totals $6.901 billion.
(d) The Canadian Wheat Board has not written off receivables from foreign governments. The Canadian government has, however, agreed, along with other creditor countries to implement multilateral, Paris club, debt relief initiatives for Poland and Egypt. Zambia and Ethiopia received much smaller debt relief packages. The Polish debt relief package was created to assist that country in its transition to a democratic state in pursuit of market oriented reforms. The Egyptian debt relief agreement was made to enable Egypt to recover from the aftereffects of the gulf war. In neither case was the debt relief granted because the debt was considered to be uncollectible.
About $522 million will be drawn down in this fiscal year from the allowances of the Government of Canada for general contingencies which were created in 1990. Further drawdowns will be made in fiscal year 1995-96 to complete debt relief operations for Poland and Egypt.
Poland's debt to Canadian government agencies has been reduced by about $216 million. After debt reduction, Egypt's debts will be reduced by $279 million. Egypt and Poland are servicing the remainder of their debts punctually.
Question No. 110-
Agricultural Subsidies February 20th, 1995
Mr. Speaker, equity, fairness and balance are established as hallmarks of this government and will continue to be.
Agricultural Subsidies February 20th, 1995
Mr. Speaker, the subject of western grain transportation reform has been debated for probably the better part of the last 25 years.
We intend to proceed with various aspects of that reform. Indeed some measures are already before the House in the form of proposed legislation.
Over the course of the last number of months both the Minister of Transport and I have been engaged in intensive discussions with farmers, farm organizations and other stakeholders in the industry involving all aspects of Canadian grain handling and transportation from one end of the country to the other. At the time of the budget or shortly thereafter there should be an opportunity to describe the details.
Customs Tariffs February 17th, 1995
Mr. Speaker, absolutely not. The position of the Canadian government through all of these very difficult trade issues with the United States has been first and foremost that we will defend Canadian interest and every aspect of it and that we will not in any way engage in any form of trade-off between regions of the country or different groups of farmers or different commodity groups.
Each one of these issues is separate and distinct and must be dealt with individually on its own merits. We will not engage in any form of trade-off.