44th Parl. 1st Sess.
June 16, 2022 10:00AM
- Jun/16/22 8:13:18 p.m.
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Mr. Chair, it is a pleasure to stand in this chamber.
It is always an honour to rise on behalf of my constituents in Saint Boniface—Saint Vital.
With one of the world's leading grain producers in crisis, the world is looking to Canada to step up. Our world-class agriculture and agri-food industry is a major driver of food security in over 200 countries around the world. Last year, despite the challenges of the pandemic, our agri-food exports topped $82 billion to 204 countries and territories.
Farmers need tools and support to keep their businesses strong so they can feed Canada and they can feed the world. We have committed to farmers getting them there. Right now farmers are facing shortages and higher costs for their inputs, particularly fertilizer and fuel, due to the disruption of supply chains caused by the conflict in Ukraine. Fertilizer is absolutely vital to Canadian farmers to grow their crops and to feed the world. We are working with governments, provinces and industry partners to ensure that farmers have access to fertilizer for Canada to do its part during this time of global food insecurity.
As well as a leading food producer, Canada is also the world's single-largest producer and exporter of potash fertilizer. We are putting money towards making the largest potash-producing mine in the world one of the greenest. On Monday, my colleagues, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, as well as the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food announced $100 million in federal support to ensure a new potash mine in Jansen, Saskatchewan, is sustainable. Our support for this innovative project is a long-term investment for global food security and environmental sustainability, and it will ensure Canada's position as a leading exporter of potash.
During the pandemic, we introduced a number of measures to ensure the supply chain worked as effectively as possible, including support for farmers and food processors to invest in safety protocols to keep their farms and plants running. We are also working to strengthen our trade corridors so our farmers can get their world-class products to their global customers on time.
To maximize our trade opportunities, we have worked hard to diversify our trade through agreements with key trading partners, including the European Union, North America and the countries of the trans-Pacific.
However, ensuring global food security starts right here at home. Everyone deserves access to healthy, affordable and perishable food options. During the pandemic, our government worked with partners to deliver important supports to food banks, community food programs and food baskets in indigenous and northern communities, redirecting supplies of food to remote communities to ensure no food went to waste, as well as investments in food infrastructure.
At the start of the pandemic, our government acted quickly, injecting $25 million into nutrition north Canada. Not only did this make food more affordable in the north, but additional items were added to the subsidy list. Our government also introduced the harvesters support grant, which increases access to country foods by providing funding to support traditional hunting in the north, harvesting and food sharing in 108 isolated northern communities. It recognizes the importance of traditions, as well as hunting, harvesting and food sharing, to the health and well-being of indigenous people and communities.
No single department, organization or initiative has the capacity to address the issue of food security on its own, as the root cause of food insecurity is poverty.
Our government is working directly with partners to address food security in the north and Arctic through a whole-of-government approach that includes working with provinces, territories and indigenous leadership and communities. The best way to strengthen global food security is to support the hard-working individuals producing the world's food and to work with local communities in partnership to address needs here at home and abroad. That is exactly what we are doing.
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- Jun/16/22 10:03:45 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I am proud that Canadian agriculture will be part of the solution, including to the many environmental challenges we face. I am proud to be involved in a family farm in a region of the world called the Palliser Triangle. It was about a hundred years ago that they said it was not deemed fit for human habitation, yet many farmers are able to successfully farm there today and have productive farms.
I would simply conclude by saying that I think my dad is watching, so I wish him a happy Father's Day.
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- Jun/16/22 10:04:23 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I will be sharing my time with the member for Saanich—Gulf Islands.
It is an honour to rise in this House on this subject. Many people might be asking why a member of Parliament from Vancouver is speaking about an issue that in many cases is focused on farming and on challenges facing many of our farmers, as we think about global food security and insecurity. It is because food security is not an issue just for rural Canada, but it is for all Canadians.
I want to begin by thanking the member for Battle River—Crowfoot and his family for the work they do in ensuring Canadians have food on their tables. It is an important part of making sure we all appreciate and recognize the efforts that families are making.
In my riding of Vancouver Granville, there are companies like Terramera that are doing innovative work and making it possible for us to do better at using technology to increase agricultural supply and to improve the way in which we grow in an environmentally sustainable way. It is important for us to remember that innovation is a big part of how we are going to be able to get through this together.
However, the reality we face today is that, thanks to Vladimir Putin's illegal war in Ukraine, one of the world's greatest grain suppliers is in crisis. The world is looking to Canada, as we have heard, to step up, and we will.
Our world-class agriculture and agri-food industry is a major driver of food security in over 200 countries around the world. Last year, despite the challenges of the pandemic, our agri-food exports topped $82 billion in 204 countries and territories. We are committed to ensuring farmers have the tools and the supports they need to keep their businesses strong, so they can feed Canadians and the world.
Right now, we all know Canadian farmers are facing higher costs and shortages for their inputs. Whether it is fertilizer or fuel, due to the disruption of supply chains caused by the conflict in Ukraine, farmers are hurting. We know that fertilizer is vital to Canadian farmers to grow their crops and help feed the world. We are working with government and industry partners to ensure that farmers have access to fertilizer for Canada to do its part during this time of global food insecurity.
For starters, we changed the advance payments program, allowing producers to receive 100% of their cash advances immediately when they apply rather than in two instalments. This program will offer farmers low-interest loans to help cover their seeding costs in the spring. We have also extended the deadline for the AgriStability program to help more farmers manage the severe challenges they are facing. This program will help farmers cover significant drops in farm income.
As well as being a leading food producer, Canada is also the world's largest producer and exporter of potash fertilizer. On Monday, our government announced significant support for the new sustainable potash mine to be developed by BHP in Jansen, Saskatchewan. Our support of this innovative project is a long-term investment in global food security and environmental sustainability. We are glad to support these efforts to minimize the carbon footprint of the potash mine and to implement technology to further reduce emissions from mine operations, because this will be the world's greenest potash mine.
Our investment will help to ensure Canada's position as a leading exporter of potash is maintained and will help strengthen food security. The demand for potash will continue to grow due to a need to increase crop yields to feed a growing global population.
To ensure the long-term viability of our agriculture sector, we will keep making record investments to help Canadian farmers build on the great work they are already doing for all of us. We will do whatever it takes to ensure Canadian farmers have access to the resources and tools they need to ensure a stable food supply for Canadians and for the rest of the world.
Throughout the pandemic, we introduced a number of measures to help ensure the supply chain worked as effectively as possible, including support for farmers and food processors to invest in safety protocols to keep their farms and plants running. The COVID-19 crisis reinforced Canada's reputation as a reliable supplier of high-quality agriculture and food products around the world. As a nation that exports much more food than we import, we showed how vital we are in helping our trading partners feed their populations.
To maximize our trade opportunities, we have been working hard to diversify our trade through agreements with key trading partners, including the EU, North America and the countries of the trans-Pacific, with 15 trade agreements covering 51 countries giving Canadian farmers a competitive edge in over 60% of the global economy.
We are going to keep advocating for farmers and advocating free trade that is open and based on rules. We are going to continue to work with the WTO and our G20 partners as well as our North American colleagues to maximize our opportunities under the existing agreement while exploring new alliances.
The best way to strengthen global food security is to support the hard-working men and women who produce our food, and that is exactly what we are going to do.
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