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 8:08:43 p.m.
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Mr. Chair, I thank my committee chair for his speech. We agree on many things when it comes to international action, but I would like to hear his thoughts on local production.
I think that Canada will be called upon to play a key role in the global food supply in the coming months and years. Before we look after others, however, we need to look after ourselves.
For some time now, we have been bringing up that infamous 35% surtax imposed on fertilizer orders that were made and paid for before the conflict began. Government members claim to understand the situation and say that they are looking for a solution, but days, weeks and months have gone by without a response. Does my colleague have an answer for us tonight?
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- Jun/16/22 8:10:53 p.m.
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Mr. Chair, we are in a really disturbing time, because all the myths of globalization have been blown apart. We saw it happen during COVID. Supply chain networks, access to PPE and the ability to supply our own communities were severely hampered. We are now seeing Putin use food as a weapon of war, threatening possible mass hunger. We are also seeing supply chain issues from the climate crisis. I was speaking earlier about the crisis of the Colorado River. It supplies a lot of agricultural support to the southern United States, which feeds world markets.
I want to ask my colleague about the bigger question of whether or not the government is looking at how we deal with supply issues and how we deal with instability in a world where globalization is falling apart and we have war criminals like Putin using food as a hunger weapon. Our old systems are not working. What is the government looking at in terms of a new strategy to get Canada secure and help the world be more secure?
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- Jun/16/22 8:40:55 p.m.
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Mr. Chair, my colleague knows that I grew up on a dairy and beef farm, so I have supported the supply management system in the past. I have many good friends in dairy farming still. I was able to go the National Holstein Convention in Saskatoon and reconnect with a few of them. I am proud to say there were a barnful of Conservatives there. They are happy with our policy on supply management, and they know that we will always have their backs.
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- Jun/16/22 9:28:23 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I would encourage the member to move away from that 35%. That is not the only issue. I have suppliers who have rearranged their supply chain and paid a higher price, and I have asked that question of the particular member. An exemption of 35% would exclude the other farmers who may have paid a higher price because their distributors rearranged their supply chains.
Obviously, any solution I would advocate for would be a direct help toward farmers as opposed to the simple exemption to certain distributors who decided to continue to deal with Russia. Others rearranged their supply chains and may have paid a higher price, but those farmers also deserve a break, and that is the solution I would advocate for, as opposed to simply a blanket 35% exemption.
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- Jun/16/22 9:37:58 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I likewise have found this debate very valuable here this evening.
There is a unique situation in Ukraine. There is a lot of grain and other agricultural commodities that are there but cannot get out. Some of the neighbouring countries to Ukraine still have a certain level of access to some of those commodities, but there has to be, I would suggest, a significant global effort to make sure that we can engage the global logistics supply chain to ensure that the wheat can get to market.
There are a huge number of other challenges, but specifically when it comes to the logistics to help get that wheat to market, I wonder if the parliamentary secretary has any suggestions as to how Canada can help in that process.
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- Jun/16/22 9:48:37 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I sometimes have the pleasure of working with my hon. colleague from Beauce, and I thank him for his comments. Once again, we agree on the broad strokes, with several nuances. Protecting our agriculture without harming it is what matters most. Above all, we must protect the sectors that are working well.
I will repeat my question from earlier, and I expect a positive answer. Does my colleague believe that our supply management system, which works extremely well but has been undermined by the latest trade agreements, should be protected in the future?
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- Jun/16/22 9:49:18 p.m.
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Madam Chair, members will know that I will always agree with protecting supply management because the pandemic proved how important this system is. I believe that all my Conservative Party colleagues also support the supply management system.
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- Jun/16/22 10:42:38 p.m.
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Madam Chair, the “sundae with the cherry on top” would love to answer that question. I will not address the other things my colleague said because it could become a bit of a slippery slope.
She asked me to talk about our success stories. Every chance I get, I talk about supply management. A great example is the COVID-19 crisis. Some milk was thrown away at first, but that was a very temporary situation. Farmers adjusted very quickly. They had much less difficulty than other producers, overall, because the quantity and the price are controlled. That is how you control quality.
However, in order to succeed and continue to manage this system, we have to continue to control imports. If too many foreign products start coming into the country, if our local farmers decide to reduce the quantity they produce, if products continue to come in by the truckload from abroad, the system will no longer work.
As for not repeating the mistakes of the past, we should never again give away a single share of the supply management market. We should promote it abroad, especially in African countries, where I think it would work really well. We should protect it with the Bill C-282, a fine bill. Do not forget the number, it is going to make an impact.
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