NEWS RELEASE

February 23, 2001                                                                                                          For Immediate Release

CANADIAN ALLIANCE BRINGS HUGE ONTARIO FARM RALLY TO THE GOVERNMENT'S ATTENTION
"We don't need more promises, we need action. Farmers need money and programs that work"

Ottawa: A rally in Winchester, Ontario on Thursday, where over 3,000 farmers protested against the federal government's lack of attention to the problems in Agriculture, was the focus of some pointed questions by Garry Breitkreuz, Agriculture Critic and Member of Parliament for Yorkton - Melville, in the House of Commons today. "Why do these farmers have to continue to protest? I don't understand why the government isn't getting the picture? There have been tractor rallies across the Prairies and now Ontario producers are doing the same. This is a national crisis and this government continues to treat it like a minor problem that will go away if they just ignore it long enough," stated Breitkreuz.

The national T.V. media basically ignored the protest in Winchester and Breitkreuz thinks it is because the Liberal government has convinced the media and many Canadians that a great deal has been done to help farmers. "Time and time again the Agriculture Minster talks about how much he has done for farmers, but time and time again we have to remind him that his bureaucratic programs are not delivering the dollars to the people who need them. This Minister has to listen to what was being said in Winchester and in other farm rallies across Canada, their farm programs do not work. Much more needs to be done to help producers," said Breitkreuz.

"If only two dozen Liberal MPs stood up on their hind legs in Parliament and said 'no government legislation will pass through the House of Commons until the agriculture crisis is properly addressed,' the problem would be solved," Breitkreuz declared.

"It is encouraging to see farmers across Canada speaking with a united voice about the need for improved government support. Our city cousins must realize that a tractor parade eight miles long should not be ignored. Unless we act now to deliver emergency funds before spring seeding, many more producers will leave the land this year. This will impact every Canadian who depends on food to live," Breitkreuz concluded.

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Attached is a copy of the exchange between Garry Breitkreuz and the Parliamentary Secretary to Minster of Agriculture and Agri-food.

For more information please call:
Yorkton: (306) 782-3309
Ottawa: (613) 992-4394
E-mail: breitg2@sk.sympatico.ca 
Web Site: www.garrybreitkreuz.com 



Despite the size of the protest in Ontario and its importance, it was the Alliance and not the Liberals raising the issue in Parliament. Here's how the exchange went in the House of Commons:

Mr. Garry Breitkreuz (Yorkton-Melville, Canadian Alliance): Mr. Speaker, yesterday about 3,000 farmers joined a rally in Winchester, Ontario to get the Liberals to finally pay attention to the ongoing farm income crisis. They have been forced to take drastic action because the Liberal government refuses to pay attention. The agriculture minister's delaying tactics and refusal to take any real action will force thousands more producers off the land. This hurts all Canadians. 
How many bankruptcies and suicides have to happen? How terrible does the disaster have to become before the agriculture minister wakes up and gets emergency funds into farmers hands? 

Mr. Larry McCormick (Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, certainly there were a lot of farmers together yesterday. We, on this side of the House, have been meeting with these producers from across the country. We feel for them because the grains and oilseed sector has been heavily attacked by the subsidies from the European Union and the United States. 
However, we did sign a very historic agreement with the provinces this past year. In fact, we are already committed to providing up to $5.5 billion that will go out to help these people. If it is not enough, the minister has been working to look for every resource possible, and we will deliver. 

Mr. Garry Breitkreuz (Yorkton-Melville, Canadian Alliance): Mr. Speaker, this is the problem, all talk and no action. The agriculture minister's AIDA program has failed to help the majority of farm families. Over two years ago he announced his meagre attempts to help. 
He has given the impression to the media and our city cousins that he has done a lot to assist farmers, but barely 50% of the funds announced have reached farmers. 
Yesterday Statistics Canada confirmed what everyone but the Liberals know. Cash receipts are down for the third year in a row for grain farmers and soaring input costs are pushing farmers further into the dirt. 
Why does the government not keep its promises? 

Mr. Larry McCormick (Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, for my hon. colleague's information, and of course it is nice to tell one half of the story, under the former AIDA program 90% of the money has gone out to the producers. They have the money. 
We provided tens of millions of dollars last year, hundreds of millions of dollars in interest free money for our producers in the spring. We also made available several hundreds of millions of dollars in the fall, interest free so they could sell their crops. In fact we have done a lot in the last seven years. In the Speech from the Throne we committed to that and we will be doing more.