Check the Agriculture Estimates
Oral Questions
June 16, 2004

Minister, yesterday you suggested I review the estimates just tabled for your Ministry.

Well, when I returned to my office they had arrived, and so I did sit down and I had a good look at them.

Minister, if I were you, I wouldn’t suggest to anyone to look too closely at those numbers.

I saw 65 million of your budget cut came directly from safety nets.

I saw the money to cover farmers’ needs through the APF has dropped dramatically.

Minister, how can you face the farmers of this province and tell them you are fighting on their behalf when you let your budget be cut 128 million, half of which comes directly from the financial support to farmers?

Supplemental

Minister, today we heard you say you would finally flow some money to the beef industry.

Let’s be clear. This is not new money. You already made this announcement in February.

But, what about the front line producers? They need compensation too.

You know this.

When you were Agriculture Critic, you told the then Minister Helen Johns to do what it takes to save the entire industry. You said provincial contributions of 40% was a minimum and called on the Minister to enhance and expand the program.

Minister, are you willing to go to your Premier and Cabinet and ask for some of your safety net money back to do what you know is needed—compensate farmers still reeling from a closed border?

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