Canadian Wheat Board  Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives cut off debate on the Canadian Wheat Board in the House twice and they tied the committee's hands behind its back. They tried and failed to pre-emptively cut off debate in the Senate. They ignored the farmer vote. They are deaf to farmers' voices.

Marketing Freedom for Grain Farmers Act  The plebiscite that was conducted clearly indicated that a vast majority of the prairie grain farmers wanted to retain the Canadian Wheat Board. Could the member provide further comment on that issue?

Marketing Freedom for Grain Farmers Act  He said in the beginning of his speech that farmers would be offered choice between the Canadian Wheat Board and other companies in the open market. What he did not say was that there was no longer the choice of single desk selling, and that is the key point. It is not about the Wheat Board, it is about the issue of single desk selling.

Canadian Wheat Board  Now we know the minister is taking wheat farmers' money to fund his folly. In an 11th-hour act of desperation, the government has increased the cap on the Wheat Board's contingency fund from $60 million to $200 million to fund its own ideological obsession with killing the single desk. That is money that should rightfully be returned to farmers.

Senate Reform Act  Some members have said there are premiers and MLAs to ensure that regional interests are being represented. I will use the Canadian Wheat Board as a great example. There are three prairie premiers and I would challenge each and every one of them to come to the House of Commons committees. Where were they on the whole issue of saving the Canadian Wheat Board?

Senate Reform Act  Since deciding to ignore the democratic will of western grain farmers expressed through a plebiscite supporting, by a majority, the single desk marketing and sales arm of the Canadian Wheat Board, the government signalled it was not interested in the voices of western Canadians. It shut down debate and refused to allow enough time in committee to hear from western Canadian farmers, as it was required to do under section 47.1 of the Canadian Wheat Board Act.

Pooled Registered Pension Plans Act  It is important that we recognize that the government has now introduced time allocation on major variations of all types of legislation, budget proceedings and so forth, everything from the budget itself to the Canadian Wheat Board, to back-to-work legislation and yet again today. I would emphasize, for the Conservative backbenchers in particular, that when they start to think about what will happen next week during the hours and hours of potential voting that might take place, I want them to reflect on the ability of the government House leader.

Canadian Wheat Board  We know that for years the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources has run a campaign of hate against the Canadian Wheat Board, the very board he took a solemn oath to uphold. That is one thing, but why does the minister himself betray the facts, even misinform committee? He stated before committee, “They've”, meaning the board, “always said 'now is not a good time.

Continuation and Resumption of Rail Service Operations Legislation  Speaker, what is clear is that a Conservative majority government does not support democracy within this chamber. We can talk about time allocation records dealing with issues like the Canadian Wheat Board, the pooled pension, copyright bill, gun registry, financial system reviews act, back-to-work legislation for CP Rail today, Canada Post in the past and Air Canada not once but twice.

Bill C-18 committee  In fact, we speak of freedom--you speak of freedom, you shout freedom when you talk about this bill--and yet there is no freedom throughout the course of the four years for the farmers, except to engage the board or not engage the board. But there's no freedom for those who have engaged the Canadian Wheat Board because it will be the minister--

Bill C-18 committee  This section, in part or in whole, as I've said several times, really takes the democratic control over the Canadian Wheat Board out of producer hands and puts it basically into the hands of the minister's office. No doubt you folks will have some say in that as well. This is a new concept. I don't even believe the original Canadian Wheat Board, with the three commissioners, had perhaps as much control from the minister's office placed on it as this particular one does.

Bill C-18 committee  If you think it's not helpful, I'd like to hear why from anyone on the other side who thinks that kind of flexibility shouldn't be given to the minister, to the directors, and to the Wheat Board under this new environment.

Bill C-18 committee  Instead, it's going to be this tight little circle of their friends running the Canadian Wheat Board and running it into the ground. The assets that are there, the assets that that board has, it's just like they've been picked up with a big government crane that is taking those farm assets and using them for somebody else's advantage.

Bill C-18 committee  —but we would certainly like to ensure that when they are appointed, they're actually there to do the job of the Canadian Wheat Board in the best interests of the farm community, not in their personal interests. If we go back a while, one of the directors who currently sits on the Canadian Wheat Board as an appointed director was rejected by the agriculture committee by motion but is still there.

Bill C-18 committee  I raised this yesterday. The witness has a fiduciary duty to protect the Wheat Board. He has to do everything within his power to keep the Wheat Board alive, and now he's being attacked for undertaking and doing the very things he's required to do by the legislation this government is now tearing apart.