SoVote

Decentralized Democracy

John Barlow

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
November 23, 2022
Context: Bill S-227, An Act to establish Food Day in Canada (AGRI) - Nov/23/22
Mr. John Barlow (Foothills, CPC)
  • 04:44:57 p.m.
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Thanks, Mr. Chair. I think this would have been very easy to support and get through here until Mr. Nater made this a competition on whose riding was more agricultural than the rest. We may have to hold him over the coals for just a little while. Senator Black, you can go. No, it is good to hear that everyone around this table and within the House of Commons is very proud of our farmers, ranchers and producers and the critical role that they play. I am glad that this came back. Senator Black, you talked about the legacy of Anita Stewart and how important it was when BSE was around. The fact that you can say bovine spongiform encephalopathy is fantastic, because it is important that we remember what brought this on initially, which was a catastrophic disease within the cattle industry. I will put on the record now that I'm hopeful that we do not go through that again and how important it is now that the United States is no longer going to let us share access to their vaccine bank. It is imperative for Canada to develop its own vaccine bank, especially with foot and mouth disease, which is a very real threat to Canadian agriculture. I'm hopeful that it is something that the government is looking very seriously to do. I have two questions for you. The previous PMB that Mr. Stetski from B.C. brought forward several years ago had a set date in August, and this is kind of a floating date that will be between July and August. I think the impetus of this bill is very important when we share information and maybe educate Canadians about the importance of agriculture and the modern Canadian agriculture that we do. Why was that decision made to have that floating day? Second, and either one of you can answer, what do you envision Canada Food Day to be? When I say that, I say that I think this is an opportunity for us again to educate Canadians about what farmers are doing, how they do it, why we do it and the fact that we do it better than anyone in the world. As producers, the biggest challenge we face is the misconception about what agriculture really does. We are not “Old MacDonald's” farm any longer; we are modern and we are innovative, and we are environmentally sustainable, but we must also be economically sustainable. I know there are two questions, but please explain the date and what you envision the education portion of Food Day to be.
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