Unedited copy - not official until printed in Hansard

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Mr. Ed Komarnicki (Souris—Moose Mountain, CPC): Mr. Speaker, my question is for the minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board. Farmers are concerned that the Canadian Wheat Board has set artificially low prices for initial payments on crops sold through the board. In fact, the current price for feed barley after freight and elevation charges, nets the farmer 18¢ a bushel. It costs more to deliver the barley than the farmer receives as a payment. This is not only appalling. It has to be an embarrassment to this government. At a time when farmers are cash strapped, will the minister take the necessary steps to ensure an increase in the initial price for all grains and put some extra cash in the pockets of farmers and without administration?

Hon. Reg Alcock (President of the Treasury Board and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, I have been wondering when this question would come for some weeks now. The farmers on the board of the Canadian Wheat Board, the farmers who run the Canadian Wheat Board, have been deeply concerned about this. They are taking actions as we speak to address this issue.

It is because of the Wheat Board that those farmers are getting some needed cash in their pockets, in addition to the considerable assistance that this side of the House has offered them.