44th Parl. 1st Sess.
October 19, 2023 10:00AM
- Oct/19/23 10:19:55 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am really pleased to bring this petition to the House's attention today.
The petitioners draw the attention of the House to the following. They state that whereas freedom of choice in health care is becoming increasingly curtailed and further threatened by legislation and statutory regulations of the Government of Canada, it is a fundamental right for individuals to choose how to prevent illness or how to address illness or injury in their own bodies. Canadians want the freedom to decide how they will prevent illness or how they will address illness or injury in their own bodies, and Canadians are competent and able to make their own health decisions without state interference.
Therefore, the petitioners call upon Parliament to guarantee the right of every Canadian to health freedom by enacting the charter of health freedom drafted by the Natural Health Products Protection Association on September 4, 2008.
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- Oct/19/23 2:12:03 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, after eight years of the tired Liberal-NDP government, ideology matters more than helping Canadians with the crippling cost of living. Thankfully, some Liberals are beginning to break ranks with the government over its punitive carbon taxes that will see Canadians pay an extra 61¢ for every litre of gas. The member for Avalon has warned his party that it cannot make life more expensive for people than they can handle, but all of his colleagues do not care. The member for Cloverdale—Langley City was quick to dismiss the concerns of struggling Canadians and double down on the carbon tax as a tool to force change in consumer behaviours. These Liberals just do not get it.
The people of Newfoundland and of Saskatchewan cannot turn their lives around on a dime. Farmers and producers do more than their fair share to control carbon emissions in a way that the current government just does not comprehend. They know that this Prime Minister is not worth the cost. Only a common-sense Conservative government would axe the tax and bring home lower prices for all Canadians.
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- Oct/19/23 6:33:58 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am thankful for the opportunity to follow up on a question I raised in the House on September 29. As we all do in this place, I value the time that I get to spend on the ground with my constituents.
It is only outside of the Ottawa bubble and with the workers of this country that parliamentarians can truly appreciate the challenges Canadians are facing and the sacrifices they are making, especially at this time, to keep our economy afloat. I saw this on full display this summer and fall as I travelled in my riding of Yorkton—Melville.
At harvest time, farmers and producers are at work from well before the sunrise to well into the night. They do what it takes to get the job done. They form the backbone of our economy. Their success is Canada’s success.
In turn, setbacks that they face create a ripple effect across our country and, indeed, across the globe. We live in Canada. I come from Saskatchewan. As all my constituents know, especially the farmers and ranchers that I represent, winter comes upon us quickly and lasts a long time.
Farmers and producers, therefore, meticulously plan out their year to account for the unpredictability of weather, supply chains and yields. However, there are often matters outside of their control.
Right now, they are facing a critical shortage of feed for their breeding herds after a year of drought. Precipitation remained well below normal throughout this summer, particularly in western Saskatchewan. As a result, moisture deficits have taken a critical toll on pastures and forage ranges. Livestock producers face tough choices.
Some may even have to sell a portion of their herds to sustain the remainder through the winter. However, this is not an option for all producers. If they do not have the means or the source to feed their animals in the short term, herds will suffer, and Canadians will face food shortages and higher prices. Ranching families could face business failures.
For months now, the Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association has been just one group sounding the alarm, asking the federal and provincial governments to step up with their share of the AgriRecovery relief, to help livestock producers navigate the extraordinary burden they take on when natural disasters occur.
The Government of Saskatchewan can be praised for its concern and fast action to protect Canada’s food security and the livelihoods of our ranching communities. Two months ago, it committed $70 million, or $80 per head, to sustain breeding stocks. However, the silence from the federal government has been deafening.
It has yet to commit its share of AgriRecovery funding. My constituents are rightly raising some difficult questions. Is Ottawa ignoring them? Does the government want them to fail? Has it forgotten about them or, by some calculation, determined that there is no need for assistance?
As their voice in this place, let me be very clear: There is an urgent need here and time is running out. I am asking again today for the Government of Canada to immediately make available its share of AgriRecovery funding, $120 per head, which will sustain precious breeding herds into the winter. The government must do its part to ensure that families from coast to coast have continued access to the high-quality food Saskatchewan’s livestock producers provide.
I understand that the federal government and the Province of Saskatchewan have been in consultation and were working on a review to determine how AgriRecovery could best assist the livestock industry. I must say, respectfully, that Saskatchewan has stepped up.
The time for consultation is long over. The government has pointed farmers and ranchers to the support available through this program as the answer in the past, and yet, it has not acted now.
My constituents go above and beyond to feed our country. They deserve the courtesy of a straight answer.
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- Oct/19/23 6:41:53 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the kind words, but they are not enough. Producers are desperate right now. The Province of Saskatchewan has come forward, so there must be some kind of an agreement in place. This money is cash flow they need to move forward. We are in October. We are talking about a desperate need for food for breeding cattle.
The time for federal assistance has long passed. I am tired of hearing “It's coming soon”. It is not coming soon. Saskatchewan's cattlemen and livestock producers need a federal government that is there for them during these hard times. This is one of those hard times. They are not new to drought, but this is very desperate.
I know the minister is an experienced member of cabinet. He has served in this role before. I know he is aware of the essential role that cattle and all livestock play in the health of our grasslands, the health of our environment, our food security and Canada's trade with the world. Producer families rely on providing excellent food to the world, and our economy relies on their success.
The cost of food has already crippled the ability of countless families to make ends meet. We need the government to step up now.
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