38th PARLIAMENT, 1st SESSION

EDITED HANSARD • NUMBER 073

CONTENTS

Wednesday, March 23, 2005

STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS

Agriculture

Mr. Garry Breitkreuz (Yorkton—Melville, CPC): Mr. Speaker, Liberals touted the 2005 federal budget as one for all Canadians. After reading the fine print, we see agriculture got a kick in the teeth from the Saskatchewan finance minister.

The farm improvement loans program was quietly scrapped by the Liberals. Program loans had a special interest rate and special terms and provided farmers with a real option to regular loans. Lenders would set up similar loans using the program's low rates and terms.

With border closures and poor growing conditions, cutting this program hurt small farms and youth wishing to start farming. Farmers continue to wait for the 2003 and 2004 payments under the CAIS program. It is still not working, despite the announcements. Slaughtering plants are not being set up in a timely fashion.

Why do the Liberals continue to fiddle while Rome burns? That is called dithering.

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