Agriculture committee  From our sector's point of view, that is one of our concerns. If we did get rid of CAIS tomorrow, what would we replace it with? We do not have an idea of what it could be replaced with in a timely fashion. So in the absence of that, that's one of the reasons we have been moderately supporting the CAIS program, recognizing, though, that it does need to be improved in terms of predictability, bankability, and timely payments.

Agriculture committee  We have taken great steps to increase the amount of Canadian beef that is sold to Canadian consumers since BSE. It's at an all-time high right now.

Agriculture committee  I can't recall any real great discussion at our national level on that, but certainly the more we can do to be promoting our own product within Canada, the better for all of us.

Agriculture committee  Yes, we do.

Agriculture committee  Buying Canadian, like--

Agriculture committee  Yes, we would.

Agriculture committee  I'm not aware that they have.

Agriculture committee  When you receive your CAIS cheque, that has to be income in the year that you receive it. It cannot be put back into the year in which you actually had the claim. That is a problem. You could be receiving your CAIS cheque in a year that's substantially better, in which case you don't need the funds that year and it puts you into a tax situation to potentially give some of it back.

Agriculture committee  Okay. First of all, I think any type of disaster program has to have the flexibility that it could be regional. Whether it's a drought in Rainy River or just in several small areas of the country, it has to have the flexibility that it could respond in a timely fashion on very regional needs.

Agriculture committee  Thank you. I think one of the things that government needs to be looking at is supporting infrastructure, especially around zoning, a situation like what is currently being looked at between the border of Manitoba and Ontario, West Hawk Lake, which has been in the works for several years now.

Agriculture committee  On the recent announcement, we recognize that all the details haven't been worked out. We're going to be very interested in knowing exactly where the program is going once those details are worked out. But going to an entitlement program for the top tier or the stabilization tier of CAIS--which is the top 15% or the first 15% of your margin decline--is not going to mean a whole lot of money to any one producer across the country.

Agriculture committee  Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, for inviting the Ontario Cattlemen's Association to present today to you our policy views on several different issues. I am president of the Ontario Cattlemen's Association and a cow-calf producer from Elgin County, about an hour and a half southwest of here.