Goodale - Feb. 13, 1995 - REG the hippo

[LWeber]

http://openparliament.ca/hansards/1163/214/only/

Ralph Goodale on Western Grain Transportation Act

In the House of Commons on February 13th, 1995.

Western Grain Transportation Act
Government Orders
February 13th, 1995 / 4 p.m.
Regina—Wascana
Saskatchewan
Liberal

Ralph Goodale for Minister of Transport
moved that Bill C-66, an act to amend the Western Grain Transportation Act, be read the second time and referred to a committee.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the government and in particular on behalf of my colleague the Minister of Transport, I am pleased to open debate on Bill C-66, an act to make certain short term amendments to the Western Grain Transportation Act, commonly known as the WGTA.

This bill deals with three specific changes to the current legislation. Two amendments address problems in the movement of grain to port for export. The third removes the WGTA subsidy on shipments of wheat to Mexico and is intended to facilitate our continued access to a very important market for Canada in Latin America.

At the outset I should note that the amendments in Bill C-66 are no substitute and are not intended to be a substitute for the major reforms of the grain handling and transportation system which will be brought before this House later on in this session. Rather, this bill fulfils a commitment that the government has made to farm leaders and to the grains industry that we would deal with certain particular issues that have caused significant delays and other problems in Canada's grain transportation system, especially over the course of the last year or so.

Because it is essential procedurally that these amendments are in place before the beginning of the 1995-96 crop year in western Canada which begins on August 1, the government tabled the legislation which is now before us in December.

We are urging its quick passage through the House so that the legislation can be in effect in time for the beginning of the next crop year.

[LWeber]

SK - Feb 28, 1995


Mr. Upshall: — Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Well, Mr.
Deputy Speaker, that's a bit of a bizarre amendment in light of
the facts, I think. It's almost as bad as the johnny-come-lately
Tories standing up for the Crow. Quite amusing, but maybe
never too late.
Mr. Deputy Speaker, when I listened to the Leader of the
Liberal Party and the last member who spoke, it reminds me of
one of my favourite old sayings: if you throw a stone to the dog
and the dog barks, you know you hit the dog. And that's exactly
what this motion has done to the Liberal Party today. They were
yelping over there, trying to put on a bravado front, trying to
run at the Saskatchewan government, when they know all the
while this hurts very deeply not only the Liberal Party, but every
man, woman, and child in Saskatchewan.
Well I want to say, Mr. Deputy Speaker, that I know that I give
the Liberals credit for having intestinal fortitude. Because I can
remember back a number of years ago, when the present
Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Goodale, was working for the then
minister of Transportation, Otto Lang, as a ministerial assistant,
started the process, followed by Mr. Pepin, a Liberal.
And then of course we had the 10 years of Tories that really
wanted to do it, but they couldn't quite get up the nerve to do it.
So they just kind of chinked away at the armour and reduced,
Mr. Speaker, reduced the Crow benefit year after year after
year.
But then here comes good old Mr. Goodale, charging back,
coming to finish the job they started 20 years ago. And it only
took him a year to do it, to destroy the infrastructure support
system in Canada and Saskatchewan that feeds our nation.
So, Mr. Speaker, I find it vile that the members of the Liberal
Party might stand up today and support Mr. Goodale, who's the
real problem. Can't you imagine, I'm listening to the radio this
morning, and I heard Mr. Martin saying, oh, that Mr. Goodale,
he's a tough person to bargain with.
Well can't you imagine Mr. Goodale with Mr. Martin in a
headlock? Mr. Goodale says, they need 7 million; no, get a little
lower; they need 7 million; no, we'll only give them 1.6 billion,
rather . . . 7 billion. This tough negotiator, Mr. Goodale,
wrestling Mr. Martin down to $1.6 billion from 7 billion. Great
guy, great defender of agriculture, great defender of farm
programs in Canada. Can't you imagine it?
Mr. Speaker, as I said, at least I give the Liberals credit for
having intestinal fortitude, because they in a one-year period,
finished off what the Tories tried to do in 10 years but couldn't
do because they didn't quite have the “you know what I mean”
to do it.

[parsley]

A priceless post! And a reminder that every
farmer can pat himself on the back and reassure
himself that he can, indeed, run his farm and
market better than any legislator is able.lol Pars