Minister's briefing notes: Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food, May 12, 2020

Table of Contents

• COVID-19 measures

  Value statement - COVID-19 measures

  We are targeting support to some of the most critical challenges facing the food supply chain at the moment, helping to cover extraordinary costs and address food security concerns.

  • $77.5M Emergency Processing Fund
  • $125M National AgriRecovery Initiative, including set-asides for cattle and hog management
  • Expand the CDC borrowing capacity by $200M
  • $50M Surplus Food Purchase program
  • Working with PTs to increase AgriStability interim payments to 75% and explore possibility of treating labour shortages as an eligible risk within the AgriInsurance program

  We previously announced $5B for FCC, $50M to help with costs for temporary foreign workers, $20M for CFIA, $100M to local food organizations, and extensions to APP loan deadlines and AgriStability enrollment.

  We also launched a job portal and continue to hold stakeholder calls and industry working group meetings.

  Take away - COVID-19 measures

  We know there is more to do. The Government will continue to work with provincial and territorial colleagues as well as industry to ensure farmers get the help they need.

• Meat processing

  Value statement - Meat processing

  We fully recognize the health concerns of workers in meat processing plants and efforts being made by processors to protect their staff. Adequate measures must be in place if workers are going to continue to provide essential services to Canadians during this critical time.

  • Disruptions are impacting our livestock and poultry producers.
  • Keep working with industry, like the Canadian Meat Council and the Canadian Pork Council, as well as with provincial governments, to find solutions to address impacts
  • Established a joint Meat and Poultry Industry-Government Working Group
  • BRM support
  • $77M to adapt operations to increase capacity and to implement measures to protect worker safety
  • $50M to help offset costs associated with isolation period required of temporary foreign workers.
  • $73B Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy program
  • $20M to ensure CFIA can hire, train and equip additional staff.

  Priority is on food security and I know that our farmers and processors are focused on supplying the domestic market

  Take away - Meat processing

  Our government is there every step of the way, working with industry, provinces and territories to identify ways to address the challenges and ensure we keep supply lines open.

• Business risk management

  Value statement - Business risk management

  We have in place a suite of business risk management (BRM) programs providing a financial safety net for farmers, to manage and mitigate the impact of weather and other unavoidable variables farmers face in their businesses, like the impacts of COVID-19 on their operations.

  • We invite every farmer to sign up.
  • The BRM suite of programs has provided over $1.5 billion in support to farmers annually, and will likely provide even more this year.
  • We are focused on options to make BRM programs effective, agile, timely, and equitable.
  • Work continues to consider how BRM tools, like AgriStability, can help producers manage impacts.
  • BRM reform will be longer-term, but could have short-term improvements like those announced this year – e.g. private insurance, simplified applications based on tax-filing.

  Take away - Business risk management

  Federal, provincial and territorial governments continue to review BRM programs, and the current challenges will be a key consideration in that review. We remain committed to working with farmers to ensure programs meet their needs.

• Food surplus

  Value statement - Food surplus

  Our Government understands and recognizes the impact of the current pandemic on various industries, as COVID-19 is causing unpredictable supply and demand fluctuations.

  • Poultry, dairy and potato industry stakeholders are working on measures to adjust to significant fluctuations in demand, reduce surplus production, and minimize waste.
  • The potato industry noted the severe impact that COVID-19 has had on foodservice demand, notably French fries, resulting in a significant surplus of potatoes.
  • On top of existing BRM programming, AAFC is also currently engaging with these industries to discuss potential pathways to further support them.
  • Many producers, associations and processors across the country have generously donated food surplus to food banks to help people in need.
  • On May 5, we announced $50M for food surplus purchasing and redistribution to those facing food insecurity. This will ensure farmers are being compensated and our more vulnerable are protected.
  • Additional $200M in borrowing capacity for the CDC.

  Take away - Food surplus

  Our Government is committed to supporting various industries throughout the crisis and will continue to collaborate with industry stakeholders and provinces to develop efficient solutions.

• Labour shortage

  Value statement - Labour shortage

  Stepping up our efforts to attract and retain both Canadian and foreign workers is critical to ensuring Canada's food security.

  • Exemption of travel ban, temporary foreign workers arriving every day – continue to work with international governments and provincial counterparts on logistical hurdles impacting travel.
  • $50 million invested – covers part of costs associated with isolation period for TFWs.
  • Rapid Response Team to fast-track TFW applications.
  • Increased maximum duration of work permits from 1 to 2 years for workers in low-wage stream.
  • Removed minimum recruitment requirement for workers in agriculture and food processing until October 2020.
  • More flexibility for Canada Summer Jobs – increase in wage subsidy to 100% for all employers.
  • Changes to the Canada Emergency Response Benefit to allow for part time work, top-up to salaries of essential workers.
  • Launched a national online employment portal to match Canadians with jobs in the agriculture and food sectors.

  Take away - Labour shortage

  We continue to work with federal, provincial counterparts, and industry to help to ensure reliable access to both domestic and foreign labour.

• CUSMA ratification

  Value statement - CUSMA ratification

  Our Government sees the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement as a powerful driver for the Canadian economy. The Agreement has maintained all existing tariff-free access to the American and Mexican markets for Canadian agriculture and agri-food exports. Moving forward with implementation now improves predictability for farmers and food processors in a time of global uncertainty.

  • Stabilizes and re-energizes our continental trading partnership.
  • Maintains highly integrated North American supply chains.
  • Secures access for $42 billion in agricultural exports to the United States and Mexico for our farmers and food processors.

  Take away - CUSMA ratification

  The Agreement will improve predictability and stability for businesses and workers in all three countries. Implementing the agreement now addresses an important preoccupation for many in our agricultural sector.

• Dairy

  Value statement - Dairy

  The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an unprecedented shock to our supply chains and is causing significant fluctuations in demand.

  • Producers have adjusted production to meet market demand.
  • New storage programs put in place by the Canadian Dairy Commission (CDC), including one for cheese.
  • Additional $200M in borrowing capacity for the CDC announced on May 5. This is an important measure that will allow the CDC greater flexibility to manage the surplus milk issue and support its mandate.

  Take away - Dairy

  Canadians can be confident that our businesses and supply chains are adapting to respond to the situation, and that the agricultural sector remains prepared to feed all Canadians.

• Jobs in agriculture

  Value statement - Jobs in agriculture

  Our Government is working around the clock to respond to the impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak on Canadians, on farmers and agri-food businesses, and to ensure we have the workforce needed to give Canadians continued access to high-quality food.
  Connecting available workers to jobs will help to ensure food security for Canadians.

  • Launched a national online employment portal called “Step up to the plate”.
  • Working with provinces and territories to direct Canadians to job banks where they can find work in their area that will contribute to Canada’s food security.
  • Encouraging those who are healthy and able to take a job that contributes to Canada’s food security.
  • Increased flexibility under the Canada Summer Jobs program to provide employers with a 100% wage subsidy.

  Take away - Jobs in agriculture

  There will always be jobs in the agriculture sector for interested Canadians.

• Food supply chain

  Value statement - Food supply chain

  The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an unprecedented shock in terms of how our supply chains function and is causing significant fluctuations in demand.

  • Canada's food supply chain is shared responsibility
  • Health and safety of essential workers and Canadians.
  • We are working with processors, producers and provincial governments to rapidly assess shifting demands, share critical information and find solutions to address the impacts of COVID-19 on the agriculture and agri-food sector.
  • The food sector is proving itself remarkably adaptable as it adjusts to the pressures on the supply chain.

  Take away - Food supply chain

  Canadians can be confident that our businesses and supply chains are adapting to respond to the situation, and that the agricultural sector remains prepared to feed all Canadians.

• International trade

  Value statement - International trade

  Global agriculture and food supply chains play an instrumental role in avoiding food shortages and ensuring global food security.

  North American supply chain - International trade

  • Highly integrated markets – priority to ensure that goods move uninterrupted across shared border with U.S. and Mexico.
  • Ongoing collaboration with largest and key trading partners. Positive calls with counterparts, Secretary Perdue and Secretary Villalobos.

  Transportation / logistics - International trade

  • Agriculture and food infrastructures/trade are critical. Canadian exports and imports of food continue to flow.
  • Working with industry to stay ahead of disruptions and explore ways to overcome challenges

  Trade Restrictions - International trade

  • Trade restrictive measures have potential to affect food availability and global food pricing – called against unjustified restrictive measures.
  • Working with international partners – affirm importance of continued flow of food and products essential for agricultural and food production.

  Take away - International trade

  Our government is committed to supporting the global community to avoid disruptions to global food supply chains.

• Canola seed trade with China

  Value statement - Canola seed trade with China

  Our government continues to work through all available bilateral and multilateral channels to restore full market access for canola seed exports to China.

  • In 2019, Canada continued to ship canola seed to China – at reduced levels.
  • Regaining full market access remains top priority
  • As of April 1, China requires Canadian shipments of canola seed have dockage (non-canola material) levels of less than 1%.
  • Continue to engage with China at technical level to regain full access.

  Take away - Canola seed trade with China

  We remain committed to restoring market access for the companies that continue to be blocked from exporting canola seed to China.

• Farm Credit Canada

  Value statement - Farm Credit Canada

  Canadian farmers and food processors feed Canada and the world, and the strength of our economy depends on their hard work and success.

  • FCC is Canada's leading lender to the agricultural and agri-food sector.
  • Additional $5B in lending capacity announced March 23.
  • COVID support programs in place:
    • a deferral of principal and interest payments up to six months for existing loans; or
    • deferral of principal payments up to 12 months; and
    • access to an additional credit line up to $500,000.
  • Continuing to explore options for expanding financial and advisory services to the sector.
  • FCC provided cash flow relief to more than 4,800 producers and agri-food businesses who have used payment deferral option on FCC loans totalling $4B
  • FCC approved more than $500M in credit lines to help alleviate short-term cash flow concerns.

  Take away - Farm Credit Canada

  Our government is committed to ensuring that producers, agribusinesses and food processors have access to necessary capital so they can continue to put quality food on tables across our country.

• Horticulture (potatoes)

  Value statement - Horticulture (potatoes)

  The pandemic caused a shock to our supply chains and caused significant fluctuations in demand. Each sector has specific needs and we are actively exploring additional ways to support them.

  • Critical component of Canada’s food system and economy
  • Horticulture is one of Canada’s most vulnerable agricultural sectors due to the perishable and seasonal nature of produce.
  • Very labour-intensive sector that is highly dependent on foreign labour.
  • Canada is a net importer of field vegetables, fruits, and berries, but a net exporter of greenhouse vegetables and potatoes.
  • Labour issues can have significant impact on production decisions and food availability in coming months.
  • $50M Food Surplus Purchase program to help with the purchase and distribution of surplus foods to organizations such as food banks who serve the most vulnerable in our communities.

  Take away - Horticulture (potatoes)

  With our federal and provincial partners, we continue to work closely with horticulture stakeholders to identify solutions to major challenges posed by the COVID-19 crisis, such as access to labour and financial support.

• Presence/capacity of CFIA inspectors at food establishments during COVID-19

  Value statement - Presence/capacity of CFIA inspectors at food establishments during COVID-19 Value statement

  Our Government understands the importance of the CFIA’s role in safeguarding Canada’s food supply.

  • $20M has been provided to CFIA to support production demands.
  • This will be used for staffing additional veterinarians and inspectors, pay overtime to minimize downtime, and to help keep supply chains open and support the trade of food.
  • Some staff are being temporarily reassigned to areas of high priority and will be provided with necessary training. Contingency plans are in the event of inspector absences.
  • CFIA and provinces are working collaboratively to share inspection resources.

  Take away - Presence/capacity of CFIA inspectors at food establishments during COVID-19 Value statement

  We continue to ensure CFIA has the capacity needed to safeguard Canada’s food system and support production demands.

• Food banks

  Value statement - Food banks

  • Due to the COVID-19 crisis, there has been an increase in the number of Canadians facing food insecurity. That is why our Government is providing $100M to help organizations addressing food insecurity on the frontlines:
    • $50M for Food Banks Canada
    • $20M divided evenly:
      • Breakfast Clubs of Canada,
      • Second Harvest,
      • Community Food Centres Canada, and
      • Salvation Army.
    • $30M to be allocated based on identified gaps
  • $350M to support vulnerable Canadians through charities and non-profit organizations that deliver essential services.
  • $305M for new Indigenous Community Support Fund
  • $17.3M to YK, NU and NWT to support northern air carriers
  • $25M for Nutrition North

  $50M for a Surplus Food Purchase Program to redistribute existing and unsold inventories to local food organizations who are serving vulnerable Canadians.

  Take away - Food banks

  We are helping to ensure that vulnerable Canadians in communities across the country have access to food during this challenging time.

• AAFC research

  Value statement - AAFC research

  The health and safety of our employees, and all Canadians, is the primary consideration in the Department’s decision-making with respect to science-related activities.

  • Research is critical, science is a key part of how AAFC helps the sector seize opportunities and address challenges such as COVID.
  • Immediate COVID-19 response – research activities scaled to critical time-sensitive services. Health and safety of our employees, and all Canadians first on our mind.
  • Proceeding with additional field activities, including breeder seed distribution, in the following days and weeks. A number of teams have also been able to continue their research by working remotely.
  • We are constantly evaluating when and which research activities can resume while respecting regional health and safety requirements.
  • $690 million to support science and innovation through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership
  • AAFC is working with ISED; $153 million - Protein Industries Canada Supercluster

  Take away - AAFC research

  We are working with our employees, unions, and stakeholders to ensure we can proceed with as much research as possible in a safe manner. We will continue to adapt as the situation evolves.

• Federal–provincial–territorial relations

  Value statement - Federal–provincial–territorial relations

  We are working with provinces and territories to support the entire ag sector. Provincial and territorial governments have the flexibility to tailor programs to meet their regional needs.

  • Ag is concurrent FPT jurisdiction, federal and PT play a role in regulating and supporting the industry
  • Collaboration formalized by multilateral and bilateral agreements
  • Policy objectives for ag sector agreed to jointly with PTs
  • Cost-shared programs (60:40 federal/PT) funding ratio
  • PTs deliver cost-shared programming
  • Most direct support via Business Risk Management suite
  • Federal-only programming delivered by AAFC

  Take away - Federal–provincial–territorial relations

  During these exceptional circumstances, our government is there every step of the way, working with provinces and territories, and the business community, to ensure Canadians continue to have access to safe and nutritious food on their grocery store shelves and kitchen tables.

• Mental health

  Value statement - Mental health

  The COVID-19 crisis has increased uncertainties and stress levels for all Canadians, including farmers and food processing operations.

  • Food security for Canadians depends on the health of our country’s farmers, ranchers and producers.
  • Public Health Agency of Canada launched a COVID-specific website that provides solutions to manage mental health and contact information for distress lines
  • On May 3, 2020, the Government announced an investment of $240.5M to develop, expand, and launch virtual care and mental health tools to support Canadians.
  • For the sector, Farm Credit Canada has agriculture-specific resources available online through its Rooted in Strength initiative.
  • All provinces, and several industry organizations such as Do More Ag, have mental health resources to help farmers and their families.

  Take away - Mental health

  It is essential to ensure that all Canadian farmers, ranchers and producers have access to the mental health support they need during this difficult time.

• Food sector: an essential service

  Value statement - Food sector: an essential service

  Maintaining the food supply chain and the safety of food industry workers is essential to ensuring food security and the well-being of Canadians.

  • Public Safety Canada, provinces and territories recognized essential nature of the food sector.
  • Recognition important for sector, to allow it to continue operations.
  • Access to appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) in the food sector is an essential element to ensuring food and worker safety under normal circumstances – even more important now.
  • Government-wide effort with provinces/territories and industry to identify PPE needs and keep workers safe.

  Take away - Food sector: an essential service

  Our Government is working with its provincial/territorial and industry partners to ensure the continued operation of the food system that Canadians can rely on.

• Temporary flexibility in regulations to support industry and maintain food safety

  Value statement - Temporary flexibility in regulations to support industry and maintain food safety

  The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is taking action to preserve the integrity of Canada's food safety system, support the economy, alleviate supply disruptions in grocery stores and reduce food waste.

  • The CFIA has suspended some low-risk activities that do not immediately impact food safety.
  • Flexibility is being applied to product labelling requirements so that Canadian-made food products originally intended for food service in Canada can be redirected for sale at retail.
  • CFIA has also delayed compliance activities associated with the July 2020, coming into force of the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations for the manufactured food sector.
  • An additional $20 million for critical inspection capacity has been allocated to the CFIA.

  Take away - Temporary flexibility in regulations to support industry and maintain food safety

  These measures aim to ease potential food shortages in the Canadian retail sector, reduce food waste and support Canada’s economy, without compromising food safety.

• U.S. support for their farmers/producers

  Value statement - U.S. support for their farmers/producers

  My focus remains on supporting the Canadian agriculture sector.

  • We are aware of U.S. support and monitoring the situation closely.

  • Canada and U.S. support agriculture sector through different programs.
  • Many changes put in place to support Canadian agriculture sector, including:
    • increase Farm Credit Canada’s lending capacity
    • provide exemptions to travel restrictions for temporary foreign workers to enter Canada
    • help employers follow the isolation requirements for arriving temporary foreign workers
    • support food banks and food organizations across Canada
    • take advantage of flexibility under existing BRM programs.

  Take away - U.S. support for their farmers/producers

  We are working with industry, provincial and territorial partners to identify how best to support the sector.

• Carbon pollution pricing

  Value statement - Carbon pollution pricing

  Our pollution pricing policy is designed to grow a clean economy.

  • Emissions from livestock and crop production are not priced
  • Farm fuels and fuels from card lock facilities are exempt
  • there is a partial rebate for propane and natural gas used in commercial greenhouses.

  Take away - Carbon pollution pricing

  Our Government’s number one priority remains keeping Canadians safe and supporting families and businesses through this extraordinary time. We know that climate change presents a threat to our long-term health and economic prosperity.

• Testing animals for novel coronavirus

  Value statement - Testing animals for novel coronavirus

  There has been no evidence of transmission of COVID-19 in animals in Canada to date (not in livestock or in companion animals). However, there were some international notifications of infections in dogs, cats, and tigers.

  Currently, testing of companion animals is not recommended, unless it is necessary to assist in disease control or public health action.

  Take away - Testing animals for novel coronavirus

  A guidance on testing of animals has been developed by the Council of Chief Veterinary Officers and the CFIA. It is being disseminated to veterinarians and animal health laboratories.

  A network of animal health laboratories is being established for preliminary COVID-19 testing if necessary.

  Livestock producers should follow normal biosecurity measures and avoid contact with animals if they are ill, or have been in contact with a confirmed or suspected COVID-19 case in the last 14 days.

• Transportation and distribution

  Value statement - Transportation and distribution

  Our Government recognizes the importance of the transportation network in delivering food to Canadians and our international customers.

  • Transportation is essential service to ensure the efficient movement of goods
  • We continue to work with our U.S. partners to ensure the border remains open for commercial transportation, including the movement of food.
  • The transportation system is meeting current industry needs.
  • The transportation system has improved since rail disruptions earlier this winter, ports are operational.
  • We are aware of issues with containers for shipping some exports, given disruptions to global container trade.

  Take away - Transportation and distribution

  We continue to work with agriculture and transportation sector stakeholders to identify ways to maintain and improve supply chains.

• Equine industry

  Value statement - Equine industry

  We are aware of the significant implications the impacts of COVID-19 are having on the equine industry.

  • Public health measures have resulted in a loss of income for many in the industry.
  • Costs remain the same.
  • The horse sector is very diverse and unique, touching on sport, recreation, tourism, racing and agriculture.

  Take away - Equine industry

  We are engaging with representatives from the equine industry to understand the issues and explore how the Government COVID responses can assist the equine sector during these difficult times.

• The Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food

  43rd Parliament – First session
  (February 10, 2020 – Present)

  • Chair
    • Chair Pat Finnigan
      Miramichi – Grand Lake, NB Liberal
  • Vice-Chair
    • John Barlow
      Foothills, AB, Conservative
    • Yves Perron
      Berthier–Maskinongé, QC, Bloc Québécois
  • Members
    • Lyne Bessette
      Brome—Missisquoi, QC, Liberal
    • Kody Blois
      Kings—Hants, NS, Liberal
    • Francis Drouin
      Glengarry–Prescott–Russell, ON, Liberal
    • Richard Lehoux
      Beauce, QC, Conservative
    • Tim Louis
      Kitchener–Conestoga, ON, Liberal
    • Alistair MacGregor
      Cowichan–Malahat–Langford, BC, NDP
    • Lianne Rood
      Lambton–Kent–Middlesex, ON, Conservative
    • Gerald Soroka
      Yellowhead, AB, Conservative
  • Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
    • Neil R. Ellis
      Bay of Quinte, ON

  CPC — John Barlow, Foothills, AB

  

  John Barlow was first elected as a Member of Parliament to represent the riding of Macleod, AB, in 2014. He was re-elected in 2015, to represent the new riding of Foothills, AB.

  Prior to being elected to office, MP Barlow had an award-winning career as a journalist earning numerous individual awards including the Telus Editorial Excellence Award and the Gordon Scott Memorial Award presented to Alberta’s top columnist.

  Additionally, John is a respected member of several industry organizations, including the Journalism Advisory Boards at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) and Mount Royal University. He remains a member of the Okotoks Rotary Club and the Okotoks Branch of the Royal Canadian Legion.

  John grew up in rural Saskatchewan where his family has a fourth generation business in Regina.

  Parliamentary roles - John Barlow

  • Critic, Agriculture and Agri-Food, November 2019 to present
  • Critic, Interprovincial Trade, 2016
  • Associate Shadow Minister, Agriculture and Agri-Food, 2016

  Committee memberships - John Barlow

  • Vice-Chair, Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food (AGRI), February 2020 to present
  • Member, Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food (AGRI), September 2017 to September 2018

  Bills - John Barlow

  • C-205, An Act to amend the Health of Animals Act

  Statements on agriculture - John Barlow

  • 2020-04-29: (INDU) …You talk about Farm Credit Canada, and the $5 billion that was actually a campaign promise in 2019… It only applies to those producers who are actually Farm Credit Canada clients, so about 75% of producers don't benefit from that at all. You keep saying that they just need to get the emergency business account $40,000, which is woefully inadequate.
  • …Minister, do you know how much it costs to feed hogs, cattle or poultry in one day?
  • 2020-04-29: (INDU) Minister, most agriculture producers do not qualify for any of these programs. Let me use an example, one poor producer in my riding, Arnold Luscomb, has about 16 hogs he puts through his farm per month, and he's already lost more than $200,000 since COVID started. His feed bill in one month is almost $300,000. I have feedlot alley in southern Alberta, and their costs on feed for the month of May alone are more thank $2 million. The emergency business account program does not work, the wage subsidy the cannot qualify for…
  • 2020-04-29: (INDU) …you're saying the programs that are existing are all that agriculture is going to get, even though we know the vast majority of agriculture does not subscribe to those programs…the processing capacity is at a critical stage within Canada. Cargill is going to try to reopen on a limited basis on Monday, JBS in Brooks is hanging on by a thread, meaning about 70% of our cattle processing is at risk… Have you seriously considered programs like the set-aside program or enhancing the livestock price insurance insurance program as issues to address the cattle and pork processing? … either you do something to ensure that the processing plants can remain open, or you do something for the producers themselves, because they are going to have to start euthanizing animals, which none of us want to see when we're on the verge of a food crisis.
  • 2020-04-23: (FINA) thing I am hearing most from producers is that they do not qualify for any of the existing programs, whether that's CEBA or the wage subsidy. What we are missing is a program geared specifically to the unique financial structures and timeliness of agriculture. That has not been placed on the table, and even with Farm Credit Canada credit, unless you are a Farm Credit Canada client, you do not qualify for those programs.
  • 2020-04-21: (statement) “Producers and industry are concerned that the COVID-19 relief programs don't meet their needs. Reinstitute the set-aside program. This is a quick easy solution to help the cattle industry across Canada who are facing a number of issues, feed costs, dwindling capacity, and processing plants. We've done this before it's successful. We want to focus on, you know, review and addressing the BRM programs, AgriStability, AgriInvest and AgriRecovery to offer some financial assistance to agriculture.” …”agriculture should be considered a mandatory essential service and should be deemed a critical infrastructure to keep processing plants working, rail lines moving and keep the supply chain intact”.
  • 2020-02-18: … a grain producer from my riding came into my office…it is not often I see farmers and ranchers almost in tears…He suffered through one of the worst springs and falls in 60 years of farming. He finally harvested his crops, but now he is dealing with a blockade. There are no trains at the terminal where he could sell his commodities and get his product to market…
  • 2020-02-03: …The Liberal carbon tax is costing Canadian farmers tens of thousands of dollars. The APAS president, Todd Lewis, says that it is comparable to having 12% of one's paycheque just disappear.
  • 2020-01-31: …This is a Liberal government that missed a critical deadline to apply to the World Organisation for Animal Health for negligible risk status for Canada when it came to bovine spongiform encephalopathy… The agriculture minister, the trade minister, the health minister, the Prime Minister, all of them dropped the ball. How does one miss a date that we knew of 11 years before it was coming? As a result, our beef ranchers in Ontario are struggling…
  • 2020-01-31: …It is a government that promised to do a thorough and robust review of the business risk management programs and come up with a new program that would be bankable, accessible and efficient for Canadian agriculture. The Liberals have not done that. It is a broken promise…
  • 2020-01-31: …There is no other agreement I can think of that Canada signed that has put a cap on the growth of an agricultural commodity, which the Liberals have done with dairy. There is now a quota on the export of products like skim milk powder and protein powder…
  • 2020-01-30: Mr. Speaker, for Canadian farmers, this has been a harvest from hell, and the Liberals are only making it worse. They do not even understand it. Canadian farmers have had to dry their grain and heat their barns, and they are being crushed by a Liberal carbon tax.

  Tweets/media - John Barlow

  • 2020-05-06: news article criticizing government funding, saying it is a slap in the face for producers and farmers, and Dairy Farmers of Canada committed to seeking more help from government
  • 2020-04-29: news article comment pressing Minister Bibeau to address critical situation within the hog, cattle and poultry industry.
  • 2020-04-27: Twitter post on Canadian Mushroom Growers’ plea for financial support, need for assistance program for agriculture.
  • 2020-04-25: Twitter post on Canadian Cattlemen’s Association’s request for financial help
  • 2020-04-23: Twitter post calling for program to match students with essential food supply chain jobs.
  • 2020-04-20: article on Cargill plant taking proper precautions, working with CFIA and Alberta Health Services.
  • 2020-04-17: Twitter post about Canadian food safety protocols and supply chain remain strong - farmers, ranchers, producers and processors are working hard every day to ensure a reliable and sustainable food supply across Canada.
  • 2020-04-16: statement on safety of products coming from Cargill, closing plant could cause disruption in food supply chain.
  • 2020-04-15: statement on Canadian farmers and producers working to ensure safety of food supply, farmers, producers and processors work hard day and night to ensure that Canadians have the food they need while they stay home.
  • 2020-03-31: statement on Liberals’ support to agricultural sector, handouts aren’t what is best for Canadian farmers, but rather the ability for farmers to sell their product.
  • 2020-03-31: statement on federal aid package of agricultural sector, the aid package for Agriculture came out last week is underwhelming and some details need to be ironed out.
  • 2020-03-26: statement on relief for farmers through Government COVID-19 Benefit Plan, farmers won't be left behind when it comes to government money being handed to workers and businesses losing out during the COVID-19 outbreak.
  • 2020-03-25: statement on Liberals keeping promise to help farmers, the program to help farmers announced by the Liberals this week is nothing new, just following through on a promise they made during the election campaign.
  • 2020-03-12: Twitter, concerning Minister of Agriculture not standing up for farmers. “Liberal Agriculture Minister has not been standing up for farmers because she's too busy trying to keep oil and gas workers unemployed by opposing the Teck project at cabinet. She wouldn't stand for my question in the House either.
  • 2020-02-05: "APAS estimates a 5,000-acre grain operation will lose $8,000 to $10,000 in 2020 with a carbon tax of $30/tonne, rising to between $13,000 and $17,000 when the carbon tax hits $50/tonne in 2022."
  • 2020-02-04: In my constituency of #Foothills, especially when it comes to agriculture and the benefits resulting from this agreement, getting the new #NAFTA ratified is exceptionally critical.

  Liberal —Lyne Bessette, Brome–Missisquoi, QC

  

  Lyne Bessette was first elected as a Member of Parliament to represents the riding of Brome – Missisquoi, QC, in 2019.

  After attending high school at Massey-Vanier, MP Bessette went on to study science at the Cégep de Sherbrooke. Around that time, she started a career as a professional cyclist, opening doors to valuable life experiences — meeting exceptional people; seeing all kinds of diversity, from extreme poverty to extreme wealth; and bearing witness to the love people feel for their region and country.

  Her impressive cycling record includes two Olympic Games, several world championships and one gold medal at the London Paralympic Games, racing in tandem with a blind cyclist. MP Bessette is a team player par excellence, and she is passionately devoted to Brome–Missisquoi.

  Committee memberships - Lyne Bessette

  • Member, Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food (AGRI),February 2020 to present
  • Member, Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage (CHPC), February 2020 to present

  Statements on agriculture - Lyne Bessette

  • 2020-02-04: Mr. Speaker, early in the year, École de la Chantignole, in Bromont, embarked upon a wonderful environmental impact reduction initiative. January 10 saw the official launch of the “One, two, three, compost!” project that all classes are taking part in. I would like to congratulate the students and teachers who distinguished themselves through the concrete actions they have taken to reduce waste by composting. Set in motion by the teachers, the project is the result of a collaboration between the Brome-Missisquoi RCM, the City of Bromont, the school board and the school. A green committee was created in order the get the students involved. These young people are true role models in the field of environmental protection, and this initiative will prepare them for taking on their role as responsible citizens. In closing, I would like to congratulate the teachers and students of the green committee of École de la Chantignole in Bromont.
  • 2020-01-29: Mr. Speaker, agriculture is a dynamic industry rife with opportunity. Since today is Bell Let's Talk Day, it is important to remember that the agriculture sector is not immune from mental distress. As part of their job, farmers have to cope with increasingly unpredictable weather conditions and global markets, and the uncertainty that this creates can weigh heavily on them. Many organizations, such as Au coeur des familles agricoles in Quebec and the Farm Stress Line in Saskatchewan, are making outstanding efforts to support our farmers' well-being.

  Liberal — Kody Blois Kings–Hants, NS

  

  Kody Blois was first elected as a Member of Parliament to represent the riding of Kings–Hants, NS, in 2019.

  MP Blois is a dedicated leader with a proven record of serving his community. Born and raised in Kings–Hants, he grew up in a working-class household.

  He understands the priorities of the families who live there and knows what it takes to create new jobs and strengthen the middle class.

  The first member of his family to attend university, MP Blois completed degrees in commerce, law, and public administration - which sparked his interest in serving his community. His parents instilled values in him that he carries to this day: the importance of hard work, caring for others, and making a difference in any way you can.

  Committee memberships - Kody Blois

  • Member, Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food (AGRI), February 2020 to present
  • Member, Standing Committee on Public Accounts (PACP), February 2020 to present

  Statements on agriculture - Kody Blois

  • 2020-01-30: … I find it very rich that members of the opposition benches talk about how important supply management is when the member for Abbotsford, who previously spoke, was the minister responsible for negotiating away major parts of our dairy sector under CETA and CPTPP.…Will the member opposite recognize or perhaps enlighten the House on that inconsistency, where we fought to maintain the system and the Conservatives got rid of it under no pressure?
  • 2020-01-27: …the seasonal agricultural worker program is an important federal tool to ensure our farmers have access to the labour they need to grow their businesses and ensure our Canadian agricultural products reach markets both domestically and around the world. While this program is absolutely crucial, I believe there are ways we can streamline the process to make it even easier for our farmers and applicants in our communities…
  • 2019-12-09: Mr. Speaker, in response to the member opposite's comment on supply management, I am from King—Hants. We have the largest agricultural concentration east of Montreal with many dairy farmers and poultry farmers in our area. I want the member opposite to know that I support farmers and I support our supply-managed farmers as well. As for the assumption that our government is somehow betraying farmers, I want them to remember that our government was forced into the deal with NAFTA. We maintained the integrity of a supply-managed system and we have also compensated farmers.

  Liberal — Francis Drouin Glengarry–Prescott–Russell, ON

  

  Francis Drouin was first elected as a Member of Parliament to represent the riding Glengarry–Prescott–Russell, ON, in 2015.

  MP Drouin is active on a variety of parliamentary associations such as the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie and the Canada-United States Inter-Parliamentary Group.

  MP Drouin holds a college diploma in business administration-finance from Collège La Cité and an Honours Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Ottawa. In terms of his professional experience, he worked as a special assistant in the Office of the Ontario Premier and then went on to work in the private sector as a government relations consultant. As a volunteer, MP Drouin has been a member of the Board of Directors of Collège La Cité and worked as the government relations manager for Startup Canada.

  Committee memberships - Francis Drouin

  • Member, Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food (AGRI), February 2020 to present
  • Member, Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates (OGGO), February 2020 to present
  • Member, Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food (AGRI), January 2016 to September 2019

  Statements on agriculture - Francis Drouin

  • 2020-05-05: (AGRI) Cattle and pork producers could approach us to tell us that they have used the AgriRecovery program in past years, but that it did not work as well this time. If I understand you correctly, the goal is to make this program flexible. On the subject of processors, I had several conversations with a local cheese dairy, St-Albert. This cheese dairy has finally accepted a COVID-19 premium and must redo its entire processing line. One of the consequences of physical distancing is that production, instead of increasing every day, decreases. The cheese dairy cannot produce as much. Is this a portrait that is fairly representative of what we see in Canada?
  • 2020-02-06: …The dairy industry is also very important to my riding. I would like to remind the House that in 2008, under the former NAFTA, there was a milk protein issue in Canada. U.S. exports to Canada increased exponentially for 10 years. Americans or third parties who wanted to export to Canada found ways to circumvent the rules. Now, under the new NAFTA agreement, the other parties, both Canada and the U.S., must be notified. Is that not a good thing for Canada's dairy sector?
  • 2020-02-03: …In my riding we have dairy farmers, chicken and turkey producers, and egg producers. Supply management continues to be a very important issue to them…It is true that we lost some market share. During negotiations around the agreement between Europe and Canada, it was not the Liberal government that was prepared to allow loopholes in supply management. It was the members who are currently seated across the way who, in 2013, were prepared to give up 1.5% of Canada's market share. It was not the Liberal government that said it was willing to give up 3.25% of the market under the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. It was the Conservative government that announced it had signed an agreement on October 5, 2015, at 11:59:59 p.m. The Conservatives threw out a number that did not make any sense to the dairy industry, which nevertheless accepted it without even consulting its farmers. I think it is important to mention that we have a duty to consult Canadians, even if our party is the one in power…

  Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary — Neil R. Ellis, Bay of Quinte, ON

  

  Neil Ellis was elected as the first Member of Parliament to represent the new riding, Bay of Quinte, ON, in 2015.

  MP Ellis has owned and operated a successful local business for nearly 30 years. From 2006-2014, he also served as Mayor of the City of Belleville. A committed leader and visionary, he championed innovative strategies to address a serious shortage of family physicians and other health practitioners in the region and also introduced local infrastructure improvements.

  During his two terms as Mayor, MP Ellis realized the importance of federal leadership to ensuring that municipal governments have reliable funding to allocate towards critical infrastructure projects and service programming. He believes this is the key to promoting economic growth and improving the quality of life for all constituents.

  MP Ellis has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Law and Psychology from Carleton University, in addition to a Chartered Director (C. Dir.) and Human Resources Compensation Committee Certification (H.R.C.C.C.), both professional designations through McMaster University's Directors College programs.

  Parliamentary roles - Neil Ellis

  • Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, December 2019 to present

  Committee memberships - Neil Ellis

  • Member, Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food (AGRI), February 2020 to present
  • Chair, Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs (ACVA), February 2016 to September 2019
  • Member, Liaison Committee (LIAI), February 2016 to September 2019

  Statements on agriculture - Neil Ellis

  As of May 4, 2020, MP Ellis has taken part in one Adjournment Debate on the topic of Canola Trade with China.

  Tweets/Media - Neil Ellis

  • 2020-02-06: It's been a very productive week here in Ottawa! Thank you to representatives from @CAFTA_ACCA, @SeedInnovation , @CDNaquaculture, @GrainFarmers, @OntarioChicken, @OntarioDairy for taking the time out of your busy schedules to discuss the future of agriculture in Canada.
  • 2020-01-31: Thank you to members from the @canolacouncil and the @ccga_ca for meeting with me in Ottawa yesterday. It's so great to have the opportunity to speak with agri-producers and key stakeholders about canola production in Canada!
  • 2020-01-16: Thank you to the Dairy Farmers of Ontario for inviting me to your banquet yesterday evening in Toronto. It was great to have an opportunity to speak with Board Members on the future of dairy farming in Ontario, and I even saw a familiar face from Prinzhaven Farms in the County!
  • 2020-01-07: Thank you to the @GrainFarmers for inviting me to bring greetings at your AGM this morning! This was a fantastic opportunity for me to connect with industry leaders, especially as I move forward with my role as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture & Agri-Food.

  Liberal — Pat Finnigan, Miramichi–Grand Lake, NB

  

  Pat Finnigan was first elected as a Member of Parliament to represent the riding Miramichi—Grand Lake, NB, in 2015.

  The son of a farmer, MP Finnigan grew up in Rogersville. During the late 1970s he and his wife, Lise, started their company, best known as “Mr. Tomato”. This prosperous family farming business regularly gives back to the community through their involvement in local events and fundraising for charitable organizations. MP Finnigan is also one of the founding members of the La Récolte de Chez Nous co-operative – a network in which cultivators can exchange products and promote their industry.

  MP Finnigan is very involved in his community. Among other activities, he was the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Atlantic Association of Community Business Development Corporations (CBDC) and President of the Kent CBDC and the Régie de la Santé de Miramichi. He was also president of the Miramichi Community Action Committee, and a member of the Ministry of Agriculture's round table. He has received recognition on numerous occasions for his community involvement. In 2008, he received the Award of Excellence from the Province of New Brunswick for his community leadership and the Kent County Citizen of the Year Award, and in 2011, the New Brunswick Institute of Agrologists awarded him the Louis Hébert Award.

  MP Finnigan holds a technical diploma in phytology from the Nova Scotia Agricultural College.

  Committee memberships - Pat Finnigan

  • Chair, Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food (AGRI), February 2020 to present
  • Chair, Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food (AGRI), January 2016 to September 2019
  • Member, Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans, January 2016 to September 2019
  • Member, Liaison Committee (LIAI), February 2016 to September 2019

  Statements at the Special Committee on COVID-19 - Pat Finnigan

  2020-04-28: The fishing sector isn't spared and is also affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Most fishing activity takes place in small coastal villages, where almost the entire population depends on the industry to make a living. COVID-19 is a source of major concern for plant workers and fishers, who are worried about their safety. Another concern relates to the transportation of seafood products to markets and processing plants, since the plants have very limited storage capacity in the event of a surplus. Lastly, …our seasonal workers are very worried because they may not have accumulated enough hours to qualify for employment insurance after the season ends.

  PC — Richard Lehoux, Beauce, QC

  

  Richard Lehoux was first elected as a Member of Parliament to represent the riding of Beauce, QC, in 2019.

  A former President of the Fédération québécoise des municipalités (FQM), MP Lehoux is a strong champion of regions. He is really passionate about municipal politics.

  Born in 1956, Mayor of Saint-Elzéar from 1998 to 2017 and Reeve of the Nouvelle-Beauce RCM from 2000 to 2017, MP Lehoux was a member of the Board of the FQM between 2001 and 2017. He was Vice-President from 2010 to 2014 and Interim President for three months in 2012, before his election as President, a position he held between 2014 and 2017. MP Lehoux played a leading role in all battles and all gains of the FQM in recent years: Phase 3 of the National Rurality Policy, Framework Act on the occupation and the vitality of territories, Commission of Inquiry on the awarding and management of public contracts in the construction industry, Mines Act, Partnership with the government in 2016- 2019.

  He was also Vice-President of the Mutuelle des municipalités du Québec (MMQ) since its foundation by the FQM in 2003, and was President from 2017 to June 2018.

  MP Lehoux is the father of three children and grand-father of nine grandchildren. As an agriculture entrepreneur and fourth generation dairy farmer, he exported his savoir-faire on the international stage. Now, he puts his expertise and his passion to the service of municipalities and regions of Quebec.

  Committee membership - Richard Lehoux

  • Member, Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food (AGRI), February 2020 to present

  Statements on agriculture - Richard Lehoux

  • 2020-05-05: (AGRI) We know that several factories have had to close because of numerous cases of COVID-19. There is the case of a major plant, Cargill, Alberta, which reopened yesterday, May 4, with very limited functionality, with fewer staff. What measures will the federal government take? … The AgriRecovery program… does not support producers at all since they will have to assume certain costs with regard to euthanasia because they will have little remuneration to provide for the fact that these animals have reached maturity, ready for slaughter and they are euthanized.
  • 2020-01-30: …Supply-managed producers, including dairy farmers, will see their market shrink by 3.6%. How will they be compensated for those losses? We know that, in addition to this reduction for dairy farmers, another very important aspect is the need for approval from the agreement partners before new markets can be developed, following the loss of classes 6 and 7. Where is our sovereignty in this very important economic sector?...
  • 2020-01-30: …Opening up our markets is great, but what assurances do we have that other countries will apply the same standards as we do here on our products? In the dairy industry, for example, our neighbours to the south allow the use of hormones that are banned in Canada…
  • 2019-12-06: The Liberal government has completely abandoned farmers. Farmers across the country have many reasons to be concerned: dairy, egg and poultry producers still have not received full compensation; inaction on China, which continues to ban imports of western canola; uncertainty in fuel transport, which led to a propane shortage and nearly caused a disaster in Ontario and Quebec. What does this government plan to do to stand up for our farmers?

  Tweets/media - Richard Lehoux

  • 2020-04-30: concerns about the Liberal party failing the Canadian dairy industry
  • 2020-04-21: statement about support for dairy farmers, no response to CPC request for support to milk processing plants to avoid having producers throw out surplus milk.
  • 2020-04-16: letter to Minister of Agriculture about support for sector « Le gouvernement doit préciser sa position sur les questions de la réforme des programmes de gestion des risques pour l’entreprise, de la destruction de produits de lait cru, de l’admissibilité des producteurs à la Subvention salariale d’urgence du Canada et de la fermeture des usines de transformation de la viande. »
  • 2020-04-15: statement on food safety, farmers, producers and processors work hard day and night to ensure that Canadians have the food they need while they stay home.

  Liberal — Tim Louis, Kitchener–Conestoga, ON

  

  Tim Louis was first elected as a Member of Parliament to represent the riding of Kitchener—Conestoga, ON, in 2019.

  As a successful business owner, professional musician, and community charity volunteer, MP Louis is a community leader who understands how to create well-paying new jobs for the families of Kitchener—Conestoga. He has lived in the Forest Heights area of Kitchener for the past 25 years, where he and his wife are raising their two children. His involvement in local community initiatives allows him to have an understanding of our communities and the families that work hard everyday to create a better life for everyone in Kitchener—Conestoga.

  MP Louis has firsthand experience with the challenges that middle-class families face every day. He understands the connections to the manufacturing sector, the arts, the tech sector, as well as farming and agriculture.

  Committee memberships - Tim Louis

  • Member, Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food (AGRI), February 2020 to present
  • Member, Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage (CHPC), February 2020 to present

  NDP — Alistair MacGregor, Cowichan-Malahat-Langford, BC

  

  Alistair MacGregor was first elected as a Member of Parliament to represent the riding of Cowichan–Malahat–Langford, BC, in 2015.

  MP MacGregor is a strong advocate for agriculture and lives in the Cowichan Valley with his family on a small farming property. He currently serves as the NDP's Critic for Agriculture, Rural Economic Development, and as Deputy Critic for Justice.

  He has been actively engaging constituents on issues such as climate change, housing, pensions, salmon habitat, and the clean energy economy of the future. A former forestry worker, MP MacGregor has been an advocate for community-based agriculture with a focus on promoting environmental sustainability and ending food insecurity.

  Parliamentary roles - Alistair MacGregor

  • Critic, Agriculture and Agri-Food, November 2019 to present
  • Critic, Rural Economic Development, November 2019 to present
  • Deputy Critic, Justice, November 2019 to present

  Committee memberships - Alistair MacGregor

  • Member, Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food (AGRI), February 2020 to present
  • Member, Standing Joint committee for the Scrutiny of Regulations (REGS), February 2020 to present
  • Vice-Chair, Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food (AGRI), January 31, 2018 to September 11, 2019

  Statements on agriculture - Alistair MacGregor

  • 2020-05-05: (AGRI) the $252 million is just under 10% of what the Canadian Federation of Agriculture members thought it would need and I understand that it's not really up to you as to whether the amounts are sufficient. But perhaps you could inform the committee, how long do you anticipate the $252 million will last? …the absence of temporary workers as a risk…how many workers we might be short by for the upcoming agricultural season? …there are some grave concerns over worker safety...in those meat-processing plants...if the situation gets noticeably worse what role is the CFIA going to play in those plants if you can see much more of an outbreak, in keeping worker safety in mind?
  • 2020-05-05: (AGRI) the $77.5 million that has been allocated in support of food processors for refitting, for buying new equipment, PPE, how are you ensure that small-scale processors are still going to get an adequate share of that money? …has the department ever considered giving additional funding to programs like CanadaGAP so that maybe small-scale fruit and vegetable growers can get the certification they need for safe handling of food to maybe start selling to major grocery outlets in local communities to try and compensate for the loss in market share they've had from the closure of all the restaurant.
  • 2020-02-03:… I want to draw my hon. colleague's attention to one particular section in the agreement that places threshold limits on dairy exports, notably milk protein powders and infant formula.
  • This agreement would establish export thresholds whereby if Canada goes beyond them, we have agreed to slap on punitive tariffs, basically pricing ourselves out of the market. I would like to know what the United States got in return for our agreeing to this. … Just what kind of economic damage might this mean for our important dairy producers across the country going into the future?
  • 2020-02-03: … The State of Wisconsin produces more milk than the entire country of Canada combined. As it does not have supply management, it has wild fluctuations in price. Many farmers are experiencing bankruptcy down there. There are serious concerns to mental health and they do not have the protections there. In a sense, we are trying to open up our market from U.S. demands. We are trying to pay the price for their overproduction…
  • 2020-01-27: … I would like to hear his comments on our developing some policies in this Parliament that recognize the hard work that farmers do, especially with regenerative agricultural practices that sequester more carbon in the soil, and whether we have an opportunity to give farmers a place to become one of the greatest weapons we have against climate change with their use of good soil practices.
  • 2020-01-27: …One thing that we heard from farmers is that they are very much on the front lines of climate change. That happened repeatedly at the Standing Committee on Agriculture. The wet weather that we have seen, which has resulted in the high cost of drying grain, is going to continue in the future. We are going to see more adverse weather affecting farmers who will see their crops be affected by climate change. There are tools available, like business risk-management programs, that can take care of the high costs. I am wondering, given the fact that farmers are facing this challenge head on, what his answer is to his constituents in fighting climate change. What policies does he think can actually help them weather these storms?

  Tweets/media - Alistair MacGregor

  • 2020-04-27: News article, proposing a national food procurement plan to help local producers
  • 2020-04-01: statement about help being underway for affected sectors
  • 2020-03-31: Twitter post about China resuming imports of Canadian canola
  • 2020-03-23: statement of concern over government’s financial aid plan for anxious farmers
  • 2020-03-20: Twitter post about conversation with Minister of Agriculture concerning help for the sector
  • 2020-03-17: Twitter post showing support to farmers during this crisis and impact on supply chain
  • 2020-01-29: Twitter post: Carbon tax debate aside, the #harvestfromhell is indicative of the threats and challenges our farmers are and will be facing from #ClimateChange. They are on the front lines and will be facing many more adverse weather events in the future.

  BQ — Yves Perron, Berthier–Maskinongé, QC

  

  Yves Perron was first elected as a Member of Parliament to represent the riding of Berthier–Maskinongé, QC, in 2019.

  With a background in social sciences and humanities, up to the 2019 election, MP Perron was teaching highschool history in Saint-Félix-de-Valois. MP Perron also has a keen interest in economics, administration, communication, and political science. He has been very involved with the youth in his community, especially through various cultural projects and humanitarian trips.

  MP Perron has chaired several civil and political organizations and has been the national president of the Bloc Québécois since August 2018.

  Parliamentary roles - Yves Perron

  • Critic, Agriculture and Agri-Food, November 2019 to present

  Committee membership - Yves Perron

  • Vice-Chair, Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food (AGRI), February 2020 to present

  Statements at the Special Committee on COVID-19 - Yves Perron

  • 2020-04-29: …vegetable producers have to make business decisions: should they plant vegetables or should they plant soybeans because they're afraid they won't have the labour needed to harvest them? … take concrete, simple measures, including insuring crops against risks.
  • 2020-04-29: …the amount of money invested in Farm Credit Canada, but it's still debt. Farm businesses are already heavily in debt. It takes an injection of capital without increasing their debt load. As far as foreign workers are concerned, there are plenty of other measures, but now an announcement about crop insurance is needed. There would be a way to do that permanently with the AgriStability program. An emergency fund could also be set up right away.
  • 2020-04-29: things that can be done, including speeding up the processing of visa applications for foreign workers, automatically renewing the permits of workers who are already here and giving them an open permit so that they can work anywhere, and introduce a financial incentive to encourage workers to work on farms. That's what we've been talking about today in our proposal; we talked about it in the press briefing this morning. There isn't just a sense of urgency in the fields and on our land, but also of distress. …Imagine the loss in the time of COVID-19. We're going to wake up in the fall, and there will be a shortfall in the markets and inflation. The time to act is now.
  • 2020-04-29: seems difficult to obtain new commitments for the farming community today. I'll give the government the opportunity to easily follow up on the existing commitments. We heard earlier that the Canada-United States-Mexico agreement, or CUSMA, would come into force starting in July rather than in August. This will mean further financial losses. With regard to the compensation for which agreements have been made with certain sectors, but that hasn't been provided yet.
  • 2020-04-29: …support the farming community. In particular, proposals have been made to increase the credit capacity of the Canadian Dairy Commission so that less milk is thrown out. There are also discussions about implementing a cattle set-aside program, as proposed by the beef producers from the Canadian Cattlemen's Association. COVID-19 is resulting in lower production in slaughterhouses across the country.

  Statements on agriculture - Yves Perron

  • 2020-05-05 : (AGRI) I was very happy to finally see announcements in agriculture… On the other hand, the amount is rather disappointing. We are talking about $ 252 million in total. If we compare ourselves to the United States, …offered $ 17 billion in support, that represents about 12 times less money, all things considered. Do you really think it will be enough? …the AgriStability program, among others, 31% of farmers participate. When an insurance program only pays in the event of a major disaster, you stop contributing. Before the crisis, discussions had started on improving AgriStability… Are we going to arrive at something quickly?
  • 2020-05-05: (AGRI) …CUSMA …will come into force on July 1…dairy processors, dairy producers …said they were very disappointed. They said they had obtained commitments that it would not take effect until August 1. …representatives of dairy processing, among others, identified the current issue of import quotas in order to respect the percentages of goods that will enter our territory as part of these announcements. They explained to us the importance of allocating most of it to processors rather than distributors.
  • 2020-05-04: (INDU) You (Dairy Processors Associaition of Canada) mentioned earlier that you had been given verbal promises before the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement came into force. If I understand correctly, they were not respected. Promises that were made before the signing of the Trans-Pacific Partnership and before the signing of the agreement with Europe were also not kept. I think the members of the committee all agree that you are due to get something. Earlier, you mentioned that the distribution of import quotas could cushion the shock. These are import duties which are exempt from import duties, because these are products which must be imported following the treaty. If you don't get a large percentage of these quotas, what will be the consequence? What will be the negative effect on the market.
  • 2020-04-29: (INDU) …I want to come back to the ratification of the CUSMA. Today, dairy producers and processors issued a news release reminding us that they had received a formal promise that CUSMA would not come into force before August 1. However, a few days ago we all learned that it will take effect on July 1.The producers are anticipating significant losses. Once again the dairy industry is being sacrificed repeatedly, and we could have waited a few days before ratifying the agreement …promises are made, commitments are made, but the producers have not seen the money they were promised. In the current context and with the motion we passed on March 13, you now have the opportunity to release funds and provide compensation for 2020 and 2021 to supply- managed sectors that were sacrificed in trade agreements.
  • 2020-04-29: (INDU) …only 30% of people are benefiting from the AgriStability program. There needs to be a special fund, an emergency measure. We want an announcement now; at the very least, we would like to know the date.
  • 2020-02-05: …The people in this sector do not want to hear any more promises or vague commitments. Those commitments get made all the time, but they are rarely if ever fulfilled. Only the protection a law would offer can end this vicious cycle that is slowly but surely killing off supply management, our agricultural model, our thriving rural communities, and the dynamic use of our land…
  • 2020-02-05: …I would also like to see an assessment of the cost of the adverse impact on our local farmers and on the use of our agricultural land. That is an important aspect that the members across the way do not seem to care too much about. The only thing they care about is signing the agreement as fast as possible…
  • 2020-02-04: …We will not rest until farmers are fully compensated…We will speak out against any future breach of supply management starting with the imminent negotiations with the United Kingdom in the wake of Brexit….By preventing our producers from disposing of their surplus product, CUSMA could destabilize supply management…
  • 2019-12-12: …we need to take swift and meaningful action to fight climate change…Think of the flooding in 2017 and 2019…. the farmland that was flooded, making it impossible for farmers to plant crops there. When nothing is planted, nothing can be harvested…The Bloc Québécois thinks that, at minimum, the greenhouse gas reduction targets should be set based on the Paris agreement targets. We also think that those targets should be made legally enforceable so that the government is required to meet them…

  Tweets/media - Yves Perron

  • 2020-05-05: Twitter post about the funding for Agriculture sector being in step in the right direction but not enough
  • 2020-05-04: Il faut améliorer les assurances récoltes pour sécuriser le milieu et assurer une production.
  • 2019-11-25: Twitter post : #BlocQuebecois avec les agriculteurs en appui à leurs revendications. Le gouvernement doit faire pression sur le #cn afin que le propane circule et que le travail agricole puisse reprendre. Agir sur la réglementation du transport ferroviaire pourrait accélérer les choses.

  CPC — Lianne Rood, Lambton–Kent–Middlesex, ON

  

  Lianne Rood was first elected as a Member of Parliament to represent the riding of Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON, in 2019.

  MP Rood is an entrepreneur and farmer with a background in politics and small business. She grew up on a 1,000-acre vegetable farm in Grand Bend, Ontario, and is equally comfortable in potato fields as she is in the boardroom. After receiving an Honours Bachelor's degree in Criminology and Sociology from the University of Windsor in 2003, she worked in Ottawa as a political staffer for six years.

  Parliamentary roles - Lianne Rood

  • Deputy Shadow Minister, Agriculture and Agri-Food, December 2019 to present

  Committee membership - Lianne Rood

  • Member, Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food (AGRI), February 2020 to present

  Statements on agriculture - Lianne Rood

  • 2020-05-05: (AGRI) we have a lot of ranchers and cattle farmers in my riding who've had very big difficulties getting their cattle processed because of the RydingRegency plant shutdown back in December ...now that we know Ryding-Regency has...new ownership, is there a potential for that new owner to access some of the $77 million to retrofit in order to get them up and running again so that we can see increased capacity here for Ontario and eastern Canada?. ..is there anything in the works to help …farmers who maybe can't qualify [for programs] because …farmers don't want to take on more debt. Will there be more help for them without having to take on more debt?
  • 2020-05-04: (INDU) beef industry in Ontario and eastern Canada has faced severe processing capacity shortages for months. I have been asking the federal government since December of 2019, which was when the Ryding-Regency plant closed here in Ontario, what their plans were to ensure our beef producers had somewhere to send their cattle for processing. I've also been hearing from many industry representatives and farmers across my riding of Lambton—Kent—Middlesex that the current business risk management programs are not able to address the challenges they're currently facing. Now with the COVID-19 pandemic, we're seeing the vulnerabilities in our food supply chain and that there may be shortages across Canada for Canadians being able to access Canadian beef. Many farmers, including our beef producers in Ontario, are facing very critical times and they're questioning their financial viability going forward.
  • 2020-05-04: (INDU) farmers in my area in southwestern Ontario here that they're considering not planting corn this year. They've been telling me that the carbon tax has been adding to their margins at drying and ethanol has lowered in value and oil has dropped so obviously this is going to be a problem going forward, going into the fall because we could potentially see feed shortages.
  • 2020-04-11: When are we going to see BRM reform to support this industry?... Why is it not mandatory to ensure federally regulated employees, like CFIA inspectors, continue working and our food supply is protected?...”the pork industry needs immediate assistance. In Ontario and Quebec, … these plants are closed due to COVID-19 and workers do not feel safe going to work. If these processing plants do not reopen soon, farmers will be forced to euthanize thousands of hogs.”
  • 2020-01-30: Something that is often overlooked is the impact of the carbon tax on farms and agriculture. Who is going to feed Canadians when the government continues to raise taxes and tax farmers out of business?... I had a farmer send me a bill. In one month, he had to pay over $7,000 in carbon tax to dry his grain. Profit margins are already so low for so many farmers and the Liberals want to tax them more, squeeze everything out of them…
  • 2019-12-06: Our beef farmers are hurting in Ontario. Farmers are being left in the dark about the ongoing dispute between the CFIA and three specific beef processing plants in Ontario. The shutting down of these plants has caused many farmers to go into crisis. What immediate action is the minister going to take to help these farmers impacted by the closures?

  Tweets/media - Lianne Rood

  • 2020-05-06: Twitter post noting disappointment of the aid announced for agriculture sector and willingness to protect food safety
  • 2020-04-29: Twitter post on the Prime Minister’s response to the beef and pork sectors
  • 2020-04-24: Twitter post encouraging students to work in ag sector
  • 2020-04-23: Twitter post on CFA’s plea for financial help for agriculture sector, especially for spring planting. Processing capacity, shortage of labour. Need program specifically geared to agriculture.
  • 2020-04-22: Twitter post on federal support for beef sector
  • 2020-04-19: Tweeted HoC Question on the responsibility of CFIA inspectors, and as essential service, including discrepancy between the Gov's insinuation that China's ban on Canada's Canola seed was resolved and HoC Question reverse the Carbon Tax increase to avoid adding to the struggles of businesses and families. His response continues to deny that the C-tax hurts many industries' ability to compete and makes everything more expensive.
  • 2020-04-17: Tweeted HoC Question about Ornamental Horticulture Greenhouse Growers' crisis, wage subsidy will not help
  • 2020-04-16: Tweeted about federal support for Agriculture industry, asking the Finance Minister if there was any progress on the Government’s promises to review & reform BRM to stabilize cash- flow”
  • 2020-04-15: statement on food safety, Farmers, producers and processors work hard day and night to ensure that Canadians have the food they need while they stay home, including Twitter post about beef/hog industry “The processing capacity bottleneck has expanded beyond the beef industry.
    Canada's pork farmers are on the verge of euthanizing 1000's of hogs.
  • 2020-03-31: Twitter post about government response to Agriculture and supply chain to be recognized as essential
  • 2020-03-24: Twitter post about importance of food security
  • 2020-02-06: Yesterday I had a productive meeting with members of the Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association @wheatgrowers. We discussed trade barriers, issues relating to the TFW program, and the negative impact of Carbon tax on the #CdnAg industry.
  • 2020-01-30: The Carbon Tax makes everything more expensive through added transportation and production costs. The burdens of our farmers are passed on to all Canadian consumers, and it is a big reason why life in Canada is becoming unaffordable for so many. The Carbon Tax must go!
  • 2020-01-29: Study finds intimidation from "animal rights extremists" is causing Canadian farmers anxiety/depression. “They described feeling scrutinized…they felt that they were constantly under attack.” #BellLetsTalk #MentalHealthMatters #cdnag

  CPC — Gerald Soroka, Yellowhead, AB

  

  Gerald Soroka was first elected as a Member of Parliament to represent the riding Yellowhead, AB, in 2019.

  MP Soroka resides on a farm north of Evansburg on the original homestead that his grandparents moved to in May of 1930. He has lived there his entire life making him a third generation Yellowhead county resident.

  Having been raised on the farm it was an easy progression for him to continue farming after graduating from Grand Trunk High School. He farmed and had two off the farm jobs over the next ten years until he went full time farming.

  During this time, he was Vice President and President of West Central Forage Association as well as Vice President of the Alberta Forage Council.

  Looking to solve problems at a larger scale, Gerald went on to serve as a Division one Councillor and Mayor of Yellowhead County before making the jump to federal politics. During his time as Mayor, he was also elected as Vice President of the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties (Now RMA) from 2008 to 2010.

  Committee membership - Gerald Soroka

  • Member, Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food (AGRI), February 2020 to present

  Statements at the Special Committee on COVID-19 - Gerald Soroka

  • 2020-04-29: …meat-processing capacity has been a major concern since before the COVID pandemic. Now what can go wrong has gone wrong, and we're facing massive backlogs in the beef and pork sectors.
  • 2020-04-29: Animals are being euthanised on this government's watch, not because of disease but because of lack of action. We're wasting food when experts are warning of a global food crisis. Some of the industry-proposed measures, such as a set-aside program, which was effective in the past, have been on the minister's desk since December.
  • 2020-04-29: The Canadian Federation of Agriculture has come out with an agri-food emergency preparedness plan that focuses on the government's insufficient attention and capacity with regard to the long-term security of Canada's food supply chain amid this global pandemic. They say that immediate action is needed, yet we've seen no plan by the minister or the government to address these concerns.
  • 2020-04-29: Mr. Chair, the $40,000 that the Canadian emergency business account is providing is insufficient for livestock producers. For example, one pork farmer told me he qualified for CEBA. It fed his hogs for only two days. Hog prices have crashed as of March 25. COVID-19 is disrupting food supplies.

  Statements on agriculture - Gerald Soroka

  • 2020-05-05: (AGRI) … AgriRecovery, it always was funded, from my understanding, for $125 million. Is there another $125 million put into the fund that was announced today or is this just reallocating the same fund? …the beef and the pork slaughter side or the set aside, that's great they're actually keeping the money…how is that still going to help the farmers with the costs of production when they're just helping with feed costs they didn't need to have incurred in the first place because of a lack of slaughter kill? … the borrowing capacity it seems to be the fallout for a lot of things. Where it doesn't really give money to the producer, it just either defers their payments or gets them deeper in debt. How can we develop a program instead of just getting them to borrow more money through farm credit?
  • 2020-04-29: …my concern is that some youth are now a second or third generation away from the farm and have no idea where their food production comes from, except that it comes from a local grocery story. Could the member touch on how this experience will help this young generation build a better understanding of agriculture and where their food comes from?
  • 2020-01-30: …the TPP, for instance, had more quota reductions than what is being proposed now. This is one area where the Liberals gave up more than what was previously agreed upon. It is one challenge I have with the new agreement. I forget the other parts of the member's question, but one thing I do know is that we were not as involved as we would have liked. This agreement affects all parties across Canada, and we should have been better addressed throughout the whole process, even in the last 48 days.