44th Parl. 1st Sess.
April 17, 2023 11:00AM
moved that Bill S-227, An Act to establish Food Day in Canada, be concurred in.
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Madam Speaker, as a foodie myself, I thank the hon. member for joining the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food and putting forward this bill. In my riding of Mississauga—Streetsville, there are many small businesses and restaurants that are part of our thriving food industry. Can the hon. member share what benefits this bill would have for them?
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Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for Mississauga—Streetsville for supporting this bill at committee. She hits an important note. There are many great agricultural ridings across Canada where primary production takes place, but in larger urban centres, there is also the importance of the food industry, whether through farmers' markets, local grocers or food production by restaurants and caterers. This bill would give us the opportunity to celebrate all parts of Canadian food from field to fork. Whether it be in rural ridings like Perth—Wellington or Beauce, or in Mississauga—Streetsville, we have the ability to celebrate Canadian food and all parts of the food supply chain.
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his speech and the bill he is sponsoring in the House. I think it is necessary to enshrine the importance of food in legislation.
I would like to hear his thoughts. We are passing good legislation that outlines great principles, but what does my colleague make of the fact that our agricultural community is currently sounding the alarm?
Last week, the UPA released another statement in which it mentioned that nearly one in 10 farms are considering ceasing operations over the coming year if there is no liquidity support to help farmers deal with the rising interest rates.
How does my colleague interpret the government's inaction? Does he, like me, think that these people deserve, at least, to have a positive response?
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Madam Speaker, this is a time when food prices are skyrocketing in this country and food insecurity is becoming more and more of a challenge. I wonder if the member could share with the House how this bill might be able to advance food security in the country.
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Madam Speaker, food insecurity is a real concern I hear about in my riding. In a country as economically rich as Canada, where we have, quite literally, some of the most productive land in the world and where we produce high-quality Canadian food, the fact that there are still Canadians living food-insecure is an exceptionally unfortunate situation.
I would like to draw attention to groups in my riding, like the local community food centre, working so hard to end food insecurity and to ensure there are options in place so Canadians will not be missing meals and will have opportunity. They have provided me with such great guidance over the years on bills that have come before the House and on options we need to undertake going forward to ensure that no Canadian is food-insecure and that all Canadians are able to have the healthy and nutritious food that we, quite literally, produce in our own backyards.
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Madam Speaker, I am pleased to express the government's full support of Bill S-227, an act to establish food day in Canada. I thank the hon. member for Perth—Wellington for sponsoring this bill in support of the core economic sectors in our country: agriculture and food.
Food Day Canada is already Canada's culinary event of the year. Every Saturday of the long weekend in August, chefs, restauranteurs, food processors and Canadians from across the country gather to celebrate the best food and beverages in the world.
This bill would officially recognize that day in federal legislation. It would establish the first-ever national day to recognize that the federal government celebrates our farmers, food processors, and the entire agriculture and food sector across the country. Food day in Canada would strengthen the connections between consumers and farmers by celebrating the richness and diversity of the safe, high-quality local foods they produce.
We need to remind Canadians of the important contributions of Canadian agriculture and the food sector to the country's economic, social, health and environmental well-being. Across Canada, our food producers and processors drive our economy with more than $130 billion in GDP and over $80 billion in exports, and they account for one in nine jobs.
Food day in Canada would also remind us of the contributions to the consumer's plate of all the workers in agriculture, the agri-food sector and the farm gate. Over the past two years of the pandemic, farmers have really stepped up to ensure Canadians have the safe, high-quality local foods they need. The pandemic also renewed Canadians' commitment to the amazing local foods and beverages produced by our farmers and processors.
Over 90% of Canadians support seeking locally grown food at least some of the time, to support the local economy and to reduce the environmental impact or food miles. The creation of national food day would be an excellent way to strengthen ties between the farm and the city limits. From a warm strawberry right off the field in Ontario to an Alberta steak on a patio, the foods we love best are the foods that are closest to us. More and more, consumers today want to know where their food is coming from and how it is grown and raised. They want to reconnect with agriculture and support local economies.
By the same token, the agriculture and food sector has much to gain by strengthening its relationship with its customers. Forging direct links with Canadians can help support a dialogue on what matters to consumers and what the sector is doing. This can help ensure consumers are making informed decisions and can help shape the investments made by the sector to continuously improve production practices.
Along the way, I think many consumers would be impressed to see the advances made on Canadian farms in recent years. Gone are the days of pitchforks and horse-drawn plows. Farmers are using smart technologies to improve efficiency and to adopt a more sustainable farming practice. Technology has opened up a whole new world for food and farming, just as it has in other sectors of the economy. Precision agriculture techniques now allow pinpoint delivery of inputs, like water and fertilizer, down to the individual plants that need it. Not only does this save the farmer money, but it also takes the pressure off the environment because fewer inputs are needed. Farmers are now using drones to detect pests, identify areas that are nutrient-deficient and locate weeds. The sky is the limit for this technology.
Farmers have also made many advancements in the field of animal health and food safety. Many farms have strict biosecurity measures. For example, access to hog farms is governed by a shower-in, shower-out rule to protect the animals' health. The responsible use of animal-health products is another way farmers keep animals healthy while ensuring food safety.
Farmers take food safety seriously because it is fundamental to their business. More than ever, customers in Canada and abroad want to know where their food came from, how it was produced, what its environmental footprint was and whether the animals were well treated.
Public trust and confidence are precious, but they can be shattered in seconds by a single tweet. We know that we have to find new ways to strengthen our relationship with our consumers. That is why this bill to support food day in Canada is so important.
Yesterday, the government took another step to strengthen trust in Canadian food when we launched the agricommunication initiative. Agricommunication is all about better connecting Canadians with the agricultural sector. Agricommunication will help farmers tell Canadians their stories about how they are caring for our environment, caring for their animals and doubling down on sustainable practices. The initiative will help us gather more information to deepen producers' knowledge about the expectations of consumers. In that way, they can adapt to the changing demands of consumers here in Canada and around the world.
The first stream of the agricommunication initiative is backed by a federal investment of up to $8 million over three years. This funding is helping the sector to inform Canadians about the great things producers are doing to produce their food in a sustainable way. Farmers have incredible stories to tell with respect to innovation, sustainability, productivity and so much more.
Sustainability is not only about the environment but also about competitiveness. For example, funding could help an organization develop digital communications to show consumers how farmers are fighting climate change through crop rotation and clean technology. It could help a non-profit organization host a field day to show the public how producers are caring for their animals or how well they look after their soil and water. It could help promote inspiring success stories about agricultural leaders.
Our government wholeheartedly supports food day in Canada to recognize the safety and security of our food supply, strengthen the connections from farm to table, support local farmers and celebrate our amazing local food.
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- Apr/17/23 2:40:23 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we must act quickly. What good is it to give speeches about the importance of local food resiliency if we let our local farms disappear?
We talk about inflation and interest rates every day, but we never talk about the farmers who are affected by this issue. According to UPA data, 50% of agricultural businesses expect their financial situation to further deteriorate this year.
Does the federal government think it is okay for our farmers to go into debt to feed us? Is that going to convince young people to take over our farms?
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