44th Parl. 1st Sess.
February 10, 2022 10:00AM
- Feb/10/22 6:43:34 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I want to acknowledge we are here on the unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinabe people.
The impacts of climate change are being felt right across Canada, but without question, we know indigenous and northern communities are among the most affected. The government shares the member's concerns about the unprecedented flooding of November, which forced countless people out of their homes, eroded land and destroyed roads in British Columbia. We can only imagine how challenging the extreme weather events of this past year have been for the families and communities impacted.
We have been keeping in close contact with first nations leadership and affected communities to ensure they have the supports they need. As they have done in facing repeated crises of late, first nations leaders have shown immense strength and resilience under pressure in dealing with a complex and evolving situation. Indigenous Services Canada has committed to continue supporting indigenous leadership to ensure first nations have the information or resources they need to keep their community members safe and supported.
Since the fire events of last summer, Indigenous Services Canada has provided $6.2 million in additional funding for the First Nations' Emergency Services Society through the emergency management assistance program. These funds supported the First Nations' Emergency Services Society to assist first nations in their response and recovery from last year's devastating events, including conducting rapid damage assessments in communities impacted by flooding. Indigenous Services Canada also provided $578,000 to the First Nations Leadership Council to support its member organizations.
In B.C., the government has a service agreement with Emergency Management BC to provide emergency management services on reserve comparable to those available to other B.C. communities. As part of the emergency management assistance program, the department reimburses first nations as well as provinces, territories and authorized third party emergency service providers 100% of eligible response and recovery costs. We will work diligently with Emergency Management BC to ensure the funds are released quickly to communities.
A tripartite memorandum of understanding on emergency management services with the First Nations Leadership Council, the Province of British Columbia and Indigenous Services Canada also sets the stage for a trilateral approach. We are working with the Province of British Columbia and the First Nations Leadership Council to move the current bilateral agreement into a trilateral agreement, as outlined in the MOU and based on views of first nations leadership.
We have committed to advancing the meaningful recognition and enhanced capacity of first nations within all pillars of emergency management. Indigenous Services Canada has supported the First Nations' Emergency Services Society in the coordination of a multi-agency support team that includes the First Nations Health Authority, the First Nations Leadership Council and Emergency Management BC regional staff.
Indigenous Services Canada is continuing to meet regularly with first nations leadership and communities that are affected by the recent floods to discuss this issue in light of their own unique circumstances and need. The Government of Canada is committed to working with communities however long the recovery takes to help ensure first nations members are safe and secure.
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- Feb/10/22 6:48:09 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I absolutely do. That is why, on November 26, 2021, the Prime Minister and the premier of British Columbia announced a committee of federal and provincial ministers to work with indigenous leadership to guide and support the British Columbia families, businesses and communities affected by the recent extreme weather events linked to climate change.
We are working with partners to improve economic and social conditions for indigenous people so they can invest in infrastructure and other areas to ensure their well-being as they respond to climate change.
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- Feb/10/22 6:52:39 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, in the wake of extreme weather events and rising global temperatures, it is more important than ever for all of us to safeguard our soil, our air and our water. We must ensure that our agricultural lands are healthy and productive for generations to come. To do that, we need to lower greenhouse gas emissions from the agricultural sector, which continue to make up around 10% of Canada's total emissions. All sectors of our economy have to play their part. I know farmers will do their part, and I know they can.
Fertilizer use has played a major role in the agricultural sector's success in the past decade. However, emissions associated with synthetic nitrogen fertilizer use have also grown significantly. That is why, as outlined in Canada's strengthened climate plan, the government has set a target to reduce GHG emissions from fertilizer application by 30% below 2020 levels by 2030.
Let me clarify something first, as I did last week. The fertilizer target is not intended to reduce fertilizer use by 30%. I believe I have answered yes or no. Our approach is focused on reducing fertilizer emissions, and is not a blanket, mandatory reduction in fertilizer application rates. Our target is ambitious, but achievable. The Western Producer conducted an informal survey about the 30% target. It asked a dozen soil nutrition experts, and almost all of them agreed that our emissions reduction goal was achievable and did not require making do with less fertilizer. This target is necessary if we want our agricultural and food production to be economically, socially and environmentally sustainable now and in the future.
Canadian farmers are not alone in this. We will work closely with the industry to understand the challenges ahead and to determine how we can collectively meet the targets. We are looking at all solutions for reducing fertilizer emissions, while investing significantly in programs to help farmers adopt new sustainable products and management practices.
Recently, we invested $165.7 million to expand the agricultural clean technology program, which supports research, development and the adoption of clean technologies, including precision agriculture techniques that can help improve the efficiency of fertilizer application; $185 million for the living lab program under agricultural climate solutions, which brings together farmers, scientists and others to co-develop new climate-smart practices and technologies; and $200 million for the on-farm climate action fund to support the immediate adoption of practices that sequester carbon and reduce greenhouse gas emissions directly on farms, including nitrogen management.
Supporting sustainable agriculture is our number one priority. We are confident that the fertilizer target will build on the practices, innovation and expertise that Canada's farmers and scientists are already using and developing to improve nutrient management and reduce emissions while maintaining the quality that Canadian agriculture is known for around the world.
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- Feb/10/22 6:57:09 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I reject the premise that farmers are not innovators. If farmers farmed today the way that our grandfathers farmed, we would all be out of business. Farmers have always been at the cutting edge of technology, and I am confident that the Government of Canada, in partnership with farmers across Canada, will be able to reach that target.
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