44th Parl. 1st Sess.
June 16, 2022 10:00AM
- Jun/16/22 7:03:23 p.m.
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Madam Chair, this is exactly what we are doing now. In addition to providing direct support, we are looking at the systems that we have put in place. A lot of investments have already been made. I visited a research lab in Nairobi that is looking at drought-resistant seeds and fertilizers, so there are a lot of things that we can leverage.
We need to look at nations that have the ability to increase their food production. Right now, our department is working on a plan in collaboration with some of our partners within the G7 and the United Nations. This is exactly what we need to do. We need to change the dynamics of how we look at a long-term solution so that we do not rely on the traditional supply chain systems for food.
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- Jun/16/22 7:14:16 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I want to commend and congratulate my colleague on his speech.
As my colleague said, the war in Ukraine means that there is less food globally, which is deplorable, hence the explosion that we can already see in food prices. We may be facing a worldwide shortage and famine.
At the same time, we see that our farmers here need fertilizers, which are produced primarily in Russia on a global scale. In many cases, these fertilizers were ordered, purchased and paid for before the war in Ukraine. However, deliveries are arriving now, if not a few weeks or months ago.
The government chose to bring in the 35% tax to punish Russia. However, since the fertilizers were already paid for and ordered before the war, the only ones hit by this tax are local farmers. Obviously, this is going to be reflected in the final cost, at a time of skyrocketing food prices and shortages.
What does my colleague think about this?
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- Jun/16/22 7:34:53 p.m.
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Mr. Chair, I thank my colleague for his question. Obviously, more needs to be done to protect our ecosystems. That includes the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway, which provide drinking water to many communities in both Ontario and Quebec. More needs to be done. Do we need to do a better job of protecting riparian buffers? We need to consult and listen to the experts.
With respect to fertilizers, we must continue to ramp up research to improve production and quality with the resources we have, while minimizing the negative environmental impacts.
In the short term, however, our farmers are concerned about fertilizers. They ordered and paid for fertilizers from Russia before the war in Ukraine started. Since the war broke out, the Canadian government has imposed a 35% surtax that will penalize them, without penalizing Russia one bit, since it was already paid for and they were only waiting for delivery.
We have been asking the government to find a solution for our farmers. However, the government seems to be too preoccupied with other things, like passports or airports. There is no shortage of issues, but this is an important one and it should be dealt with quickly.
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- Jun/16/22 9:29:14 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I am going to come back to the same issue again, because farmers in our ridings keep asking us about it.
The fertilizers were purchased and paid for before the war broke out. They are now paying a 35% tariff that was imposed when the war started. However, the farmers had already paid for their orders. Now they have to add a 35% tax, which goes to the government and does absolutely no harm to Russia.
I want to ask the parliamentary secretary, as a government representative, why has the government still not done anything about this?
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- Jun/16/22 9:52:47 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I really appreciate the work that my colleague does with me at the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri‑Food.
Indeed, we have been hearing for weeks that prices have skyrocketed internationally. Canada should at least be able to avoid being outmatched by overtaxing itself.
I think it is deplorable that Canada is currently the only G7 country imposing this surcharge on fertilizers. We know that the Americans are buying fertilizer elsewhere and have little concern for this surcharge.
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- Jun/16/22 9:58:57 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I thank my colleague for his speech. I generally appreciate substantive ideas. That is more or less the case every time with my Conservative colleagues.
I would like my colleague to tell us about the rational use of pesticides or fertilizers because he gave a specific example.
I believe that we should not go overboard, but should use the right product at the right time, in the right place and especially at the right rate. We must use them in a measured way.
No doubt I got the wrong impression from his speech, but it sometimes seems like there is a lack of nuance. I would really like my colleague to clarify his ideas on that subject. I think that I have a good understanding of the four Rs.
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