Marketing Freedom for Grain Farmers  How is the grain car allocation going to work to get grain into the ships on time without the Wheat Board? None of those questions have been answered. This closure motion denies the right to have those issues debated in the House, where they should be debated.

Marketing Freedom for Grain Farmers Act  What is at stake, as I asked the parliamentary secretary earlier, is whether there is a choice between single desk and the open market under the new Wheat Board, and we know there is not. The single desk no longer exists. The province of Quebec has two single desk marketing agencies, the maple syrup board and beef, I believe. What does she think would happen in Quebec if government, without a say and without proper hearings, took the right away to have the single desk, without people being given a voice?

Agriculture committee  On a point of order, how are you going to have the Wheat Board if you take the money away--

Agriculture committee  It's always a pleasure. I see you guys are progressing as usual. I guess with the killing of the Wheat Board and supply management being on the table and getting axed, I started looking at the crystal ball of the future of agriculture. It's inevitable that these small farms are not going to have their marketing clout, and they're going to wither.

Canadian Wheat Board  Mr. Speaker, there is nothing prudent about what the government is doing. Elected farm directors are abiding by their oath of office. It is too bad the minister could not do the same. The minister knows the contingency fund is a result of the current board's management and comes from farmers' grain sales.

International Trade committee  Our concern has increased recently with what's happened to the Canadian Wheat Board. The government didn't allow a vote of producers as the minister promised he would do. I would say to all organizations, including the Grain Growers of Canada, that they should be concerned when democratic rights are bulldozed down the river.

International Trade  IRS; country of origin labelling still a problem; softwood lumber still a problem; nothing back for killing the Canadian Wheat Board; no market access guarantees. Are the Conservatives going to concede a perimeter deal with all this aggravation continuing?

Questions Passed as Orders for Returns  Have any studies of any kind whatsoever been undertaken by any Minister or any department or agency, or any non-governmental individual or entity at the request of any Minister or government department or agency, pertaining to the impacts, consequences, costs or benefits of eliminating the single-desk marketing system of the Canadian Wheat Board: (a) what were the terms of reference of any such studies; (b) who specifically worked on those studies and what were their professional qualifications; (c) when were any such studies begun; (d) when were they completed; (e) what were their principal findings; and (f) when will they be made public?

Bill C-18 committee  This proposed section would actually allow the minister—if he doesn't like the fact that the new or interim Canada wheat board is successful—to give direction to shut it down. That is the latitude given to the minister in this instance, and that ought not to be the case. The minister, whoever it might be, ought not to have that kind of latitude.

Bill C-18 committee  Is there not one member on that other side who can stand up and challenge the dictatorial aspect of this piece of legislation that first took the farmers' votes away, that made them voiceless, and that now, in this new volunteer Canadian Wheat Board...? It's completely voiceless. It's run by a collection of six under express orders that come out of the minister's office through the Governor in Council. My God, you should be ashamed of yourselves.

Bill C-18 committee  I'll make the point that Mr. Anderson is blatantly wrong. The Canadian Wheat Board produces an annual report, holds district meetings throughout the prairies, and is accountable to producers and has been.

Bill C-18 committee  As I understand it, yes, with a crown corporation the government normally can give direction to it; however, in this bill, this is not a crown corporation, but basically the whole act--the whole Canadian Wheat Board--is going to be, when you go through it in full, micromanaged by the minister How is that possible when this is not in fact a crown corporation? It's going to be run by the government, but it's not a crown corporation.

Fair Representation Act  Mr. Speaker, I agree with the member in terms of the Canadian Wheat Board. The government has not been listening to what our prairie farmers have been saying. Having said that, with regard to Bill C-20, does the NDP have any limit as to what it believes the size of the House of Commons should be?

Bill C-18 committee  So my questions are these. First, yes or no, will you let farmers elect themselves to a voluntary wheat board so that this the board can be by farmers for farmers? Second, yes or no, will you allow the removal of that clause requiring the approval of the farmers' applications through your department, so that farmers can be like any other Canadian and have the freedom to go and make their own application for incorporation under legislation they choose?

Bill C-18 committee  I'm going to be direct, and I make no apologies for this question, but were you offered a position by this government, either in writing or verbally, if you quit at that point to be a director on the new voluntary wheat board?