Beavers, ostriches enter the wheat board debate

Sunday, December 4, 2011

From Hansard: Oct. 25, 2011
Mr. Pat Martin (Winnipeg Centre, NDP): "Mr. Speaker, if the Conservatives really believe that Prairie grain farmers will make more money by selling their grain outside of the Canadian Wheat Board, then that means every single Conservative MP involved in the grain industry is in a conflict of interest and must recuse themselves from the vote on Bill C-18 . . ."
Gerry Ritz: Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board: "Mr. Speaker, farmers will never be intimidated by what I think is a lingering case of beaver fever over there . . ."
Martin: "Mr. Speaker, coming from a failed ostrich jockey, I do not know what the member knows about beaver fever . . ."
The Speaker (Andrew Scheer): "Order. I think some of these metaphors involving animals may be causing a little disorder in the House. I would urge all hon. members to try to avoid using them so that we can get through question period."
Ritz: "Mr. Speaker, that is sound advice. Over the top never works. I will say that farming ostrich allowed me the opportunity to get used to working with the lesser life forms I sometimes see here on the floor of the House of Commons  . . ."
The Speaker: "Order. Similarly, those types of comments when referring to our colleagues are also unhelpful during question period."
("Beaver fever" generally refers to Giardiasis, a parasitic disease causing diarrhea. Beavers and muskrats harbour the water-born cysts.) BF