Statement in the House of Commons
Thursday, September 18, 2003

BSE & Canada's Agriculture Industry

Ms. Judy Sgro (York West, Lib.): Madam Speaker, I rise today as a member of the Liberal rural caucus to commend our Minister of Agriculture for his commitment to Canadian farmers.

Since a single case of BSE was found in Canada, our minister has worked tirelessly to ensure the safety of Canadian consumers and livestock through a comprehensive investigation and by taking all necessary steps to control the situation. The minister has effectively demonstrated to our trading partners that Canada is a reliable and responsible supplier of safe beef. In fact Canada is the only country with a confirmed case of BSE to have resumed trade with BSE-free countries.

I ask the House to join me in commending the minister for his hard work and ongoing efforts to support our agricultural industry.