NEWS RELEASE

February 24, 2000                                                                                                    For Immediate Release

GOVERNMENT TAKES SHIRTS OFF OF FARMERS BACKS

"Farmers' need the government's 'hand out' of their pockets"

Ottawa - On the same day that the federal government announced they would give an extra $240 million to Saskatchewan and Manitoba farmers, Yorkton - Melville Reform MP, Garry Breitkreuz was pointing out the government needs to do more than give a token amount of cash to struggling farmers. Throughout the month of January Breitkreuz met with thousands of farmers at meetings and rallies. They gave him a box of shirts to take to Ottawa to give to the government. "This is a symbol that the government is continuing to take the shirts off the backs of farmers. Farmers do need a 'hand out' to get them through this crisis, but they also need the government's 'hand out' of their pockets," stated Breitkreuz.

Those concerns prompted this statement by Breitkreuz in the House of Commons today:

Mr. Speaker, farmers in Saskatchewan are losing the shirts off their backs and this government is to blame. The Minister's brag about all the money they have promised. But 75% of the money the Liberal's have promised is still in Ottawa's ivory towers - not in the farmer's pockets!

Today's announcement for farm assistance to Saskatchewan is just another billion-dollar boondoggle. I held eight town halls in January and attended farm crisis rallies in Toronto, Regina and Saskatoon. A group of farmers asked me to bring the shirts they're losing to Ottawa and give them to the Prime Minister. I have a box full of them.

I'm going to be out in the lobby after Question Period with this box of shirts. If the Liberals really want to show they care about western grain farmers, I trust one of the Ministers responsible for this disaster will come out to the lobby and pick them up.

Farmers are being taxed to death by Ottawa. One farmer wrote a note on his shirt: "Jean and Paul you've taken it all."

Following question period Breitkreuz attempted to give the box of shirts to either the Prime Minister or Finance Minister. He ended up meeting with Agriculture Minister, Lyle Vanclief. "I explained that farmers wanted me to make this presentation because they are tired of being neglected by the government. Mr. Vanclief flatly refused to take the shirts to the Prime Minister," said Breitkreuz.

 

"Seventy five per cent of the $1.7 billion the government has promised for prairie farmers is still sitting in Ottawa. What is going to make today's announcement of another $240 million any different? If any of this money is going to do any good it must get in the hands of producers. The government must also take action aimed at the root causes of this crisis like lowering the taxes, reducing user fees and giving farmers the freedom to market their own product. Until the government quits taking the shirts off of farmers backs, the agriculture industry in Western Canada will continue to suffer," concluded Breitkreuz.

 

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For more information please call:

Yorkton: 1-800-667-6606

Ottawa: (613) 992-2032

Email: breitg2@sk.sympatico.ca