38th PARLIAMENT, 1st SESSION
Friday, November 4, 2005

Mr. Ed Komarnicki (Souris—Moose Mountain, CPC): Mr. Speaker, farmers, farm groups and even the minister's own Canadian Wheat Board have been asking for an increase in the initial price of grain. Weeks and weeks have gone by and yet the minister has not made an announcement for what really is a simple decision to be made. The minister's inaction has also caused the low initial price to withhold safety net moneys under the CAIS program.

Farmers need more than talk. They need action and they need it now. I ask the minister to do the right thing and announce the amount of the increase in the initial prices here and now, and to quit playing games with Canadian farmers.

Hon. Reg Alcock (President of the Treasury Board and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, the last time the member asked this question, he was criticizing the Wheat Board for inaction. In fact the Wheat Board has been out. The farmers who represent the Wheat Board, who are responsible for the Wheat Board, have been out selling grain all around this country and they have had some very successful sales just recently. They have come back to me and asked for an adjustment to the initial payment, something I will be responding to immediately.