Madam Speaker, it is important to recognize that, from my perspective, coming from rural Alberta and rural Canada, I am well aware of the programs that are available.
However, many constituents in my riding say they do not qualify or that there is some other problem they face when trying to qualify. The programs do not go far enough. They miss the boat.
Regarding this drought, for example, with some of the programs that were put in place, I still get producers saying they are going under. These are cow-calf producers and cattle feeders. I had a gentleman last week call me in tears saying, “I have a couple thousand head in my feed lot. The plants are not taking them. The feed lots are not taking them. I am losing $400 an animal. How am I going to survive? I cannot survive. I am going to lose half to three-quarters of a million dollars this year alone. There is no program that the government has in place to help me, none. Zero.”
What we need to recognize, as parliamentarians, is that the government needs to be receptive to being flexible with the programs that exist and to make adjustments as needs arise.