Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, we eliminated the divisive consumer carbon price, and they are still complaining. We know that the industrial carbon tax has a negligible effect on food. If the member goes out and buys an F-150 Ford tomorrow from the highest emissions contributor of steel and aluminum in this country, I can tell him that he can go back to the Leader of the Opposition and get his triple-triple, becaus…
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Mr. Speaker, we cannot continue down the path. We must change our direction in regard to research. Let me quote some of the numbers over the past few years. The research and development system is becoming less diverse. Public investment in agriculture knowledge generation, which includes R and D, has declined by 15%. Private sector outsourced R and D to universities is down 77%. The number of ente…
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Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member said, this is a difficult situation that we find ourselves in due to a lack of investment over a number of years through many governments. Maintaining our presence in every province, streamlining research and development and building a more collaborative science system that supports producers and strengthens our competitiveness is what this government is going to do…
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Mr. Speaker, again, this is an extremely important issue for the prairie provinces and Alberta. I have been there. I have seen it. We are working very closely with the Department of Health, which is in charge of the PMRA, and we will continue to advocate on their behalf.
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Mr. Speaker, this is an extremely important question for the prairie provinces and Alberta. I am certainly disappointed, and I have said publicly that I supported the application. I am disappointed in the PMRA's decision, but ultimately it is an independent agency. We will keep working with the provinces and farmers to find an effective alternative. It is crucial that our farmers and producers hav…
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Mr. Speaker, I went before committee and this hon. member asked me a question relevant to whether I would advocate on behalf of the farmers about strychnine in the prairie provinces and Alberta. That is exactly what I did. He is exaggerating the facts. It was in committee. It is in the Hansard. Anybody can go and look at it.
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Mr. Speaker, again, it is a very important question. We seem to be on a roll today on strychnine. We will continue to advocate on behalf of the prairie provinces and Alberta. I have had consultations with both ministers responsible for those provinces, and I will continue to communicate and collaborate with those ministers.
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Mr. Speaker, now more than ever, it is vital we find ways to streamline our services and focus our efforts in the right place. I have had the opportunity to sit down with representatives of Laval university to talk about AAFC and the partnerships we have. Streamlining research in collaboration with academia and the private sector will prioritize our high-impact areas and duplication, and align our…
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Mr. Speaker, I travel around the world, and our farmers are the envy of the world for what they do here at home. They are some of the best farmers in the world, and we will continue to ensure that they continue to be that. Blaming farmers for the cost of food is not appropriate. We are talking about many different types of issues that defuse some of the costs around groceries and items. We will co…
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Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada is going to continue to invest in our farmers and ranchers right across this country. We will continue to make sure that they lead the world in science, as we talked about. I also want to come back to the industrial carbon tax. We know that it is negligible to the cost of food in this country. However, one thing I want to say to everyone is that it is not the …
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Mr. Speaker, I am certainly glad that the opposition is now starting to talk about canola. It has been how long since we returned from China? I never heard a word about canola. The Leader of the Opposition has canola in his new riding. We are working hard. We will continue to work hard. The lines of communication are open with China, and we will continue to work with China and with every trading p…
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Madam Speaker, we are spending less to invest more in science in this country. Science is extremely important. It is extremely important for trade. We are maintaining our presence in every single province, and we remain the largest agriculture institution in this country. By streamlining research and development, we can build a strong, resilient future for science.
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Madam Speaker, it is an important issue. Science has played an integral role in the building up of agriculture and agri-food in this country, and it is going to continue. I had the opportunity to meet with the president of the University of Saskatchewan, just this week. I was in Laval, at the university there, as well. We had good discussions. It is important that we move forward with a revised sc…
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Mr. Speaker, it warms my heart that the Conservatives are now concerned about science and research. I am happy to reassure them that the federal government will continue as the largest agriculture researcher in this country. In fact, just last month we invested $9.7 million with the Government of Saskatchewan in science and research. We are not going anywhere. We still have 17 centres across the c…
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Mr. Speaker, when I have travelled around the country, I heard many times that we can do better in research and development. We will continue to build on that. We will listen to the professionals in this regard. We are not going to go down the path of not having science in this country. It is extremely important to our trade. It is extremely important to our agriculture and agri-food communities, …
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Mr. Speaker, let me be clear. Science plays an integral role and will continue to play an integral role in this country for agriculture and agri-food. We are maintaining our research and development presence in every single province, and the department continues to be the largest science service centre in this country, with 17 sites. By streamlining our research, we are prioritizing high-impact ar…
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Mr. Speaker, I am not sure if that member's memory serves him correctly, but I will go back to 2011 and 2012, which may jog his memory a little bit: A focused agriculture research presence should move away from scattered soil research, siloed projects and toward a mission-driven, outcome-oriented system that treats food production as a cornerstone of national security, economic resilience and clim…
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Mr. Speaker, from talking to stakeholders across this country, we have a real opportunity to advance our research, and we will continue to do that. The department continues to be the largest agriculture researcher in Canada, but this opportunity for transformation in the research sector is most prominent in our agriculture and agri-food divisions. We are going to continue to invest in agriculture …
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Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague gets it as a farmer. Canadians want access to Canadian-grown food, and our world-class farmers, producers and ranchers are ready to deliver. On Monday, our new government announced immediate expensing for greenhouse buildings. This will allow producers to fully write off greenhouses that become available for use before 2030. We are developing a national food security…
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Mr. Speaker, we know this is going to be a difficult time for some, but this was the mandate that Canadians elected us for: streamlining research, collaboration with academia and the private sector, prioritizing high-impact areas, reducing duplication and aligning projects with the needs of farmers and ranchers across this country. We are going to work with stakeholders and move this industry and …
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Mr. Speaker, let us drill down into the report everybody seems to be talking about. Let us quote it: “Food prices are influenced by a variety of global factors, including climate change, geopolitical conflicts, input and energy costs...food distribution, food processing...and regulations”. It is not the Liberal Party. It is what is happening around the world, everywhere around the world. Let us ge…
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Mr. Speaker, we have already gone down this path. The Canadian Climate Institute has said there is a negligible impact on the price of food; the industrial carbon tax has a 0.08% impact, so we know that is not the case. There are other factors in the world like a geopolitical trade war, climate change, and drought in the prairie provinces. These are all adding to the rising cost of food. The Conse…
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Mr. Speaker, we all know the Canadian Climate Institute's most recent research shows that industrial carbon pricing systems have essentially no impact on households. Agriculture plays a significant role in their achievement to lead the G7 nations. We are going to stand alongside our growers, our ranchers and our farmers.
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Mr. Speaker, this budget meets the moment, speeding up national building projects and boosting trade diversification for agri-food and agriculture, for our economy and for the generations to come that the member speaks of. There is $150 billion for infrastructure alone in the plan, including for trade corridors, AgriMarketing, AgriStability, the clean fuel regulations and biofuel incentives; CFIA …
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Mr. Speaker, I will quote Sylvain Charlebois. He states, “Ottawa has quietly set the stage for some indirect relief—not through grocery subsidies or consumer-facing policies, but through infrastructure, trade, and administrative reforms that could make the food system work a little more efficiently.” Our farmers have been asking for some of this stuff for a long time. Stand up and give it to them.
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Mr. Speaker, the Canadian Climate Institute's most recent research shows that industrial carbon pricing has essentially no effect on the cost of groceries. In the face of uncertainty, Canadians are going to build the future we want to build for ourselves. As we work to build the strongest economy in the G7, our new government is helping our agriculture sector and fish and seafood sector adapt and …
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Mr. Speaker, our new government was elected to expand and diversify our international trade with reliable partners. We are in a volatile global economy. We are defending our trade interests, we are expanding into new markets and we are working alongside our farmers in every aspect.
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Mr. Speaker, a couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to tour the Strathcona Imperial Oil complex in Alberta. I can tell members that what it is doing out there to transform canola seed into biofuel is unprecedented. It is one company in Canada working toward reducing GHG emissions and utilizing our own canola seed to present something back to Canada, to our citizens, that is really effective i…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, in response to part (a) of the question, the property title is KD93041, and the parcel is identified as 011-370-963 in the Osoyoos Division Yale District, except plans H397 and 41847. In response to (b), the Penticton Shooting Sports Association, or PSSA, was formally advised through a letter in May 2024 that the lease termination date is December 31, 2025. In response to (c), this fe…
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Mr. Speaker, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, including the Canadian Pari-Mutuel Agency, does not possess the projected information requested related to Southeast Asia.
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Mr. Speaker, we have an immense responsibility to address these challenges. We are in a triangular trade war with two other countries. We are doing everything possible to keep the lines of communication open, and we will continue to do that. We are investing in farmers. We are investing in ag stability. We are investing in ag marketing. We are continuing to do everything we can. I had the opportun…
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Mr. Speaker, this gives me the opportunity to talk about how important farming is in this country. One in nine jobs is related to farming, and 6.75% of our GDP is related to farming. I have spoken to every first minister across the country, and one thing we have in common is that we are united in our front against these tariffs, and we will stay that way because it is going to benefit everybody.
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Mr. Speaker, it has been a little over three weeks, and I am finally getting to my feet. First and foremost, I want to thank the people of Malpeque for putting me here, as well as my wife and my family. This is immensely important for us, and I will be travelling to the prairie provinces this weekend to meet with farmers to see first-hand the effect of the canola tariffs. I will say that we had th…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the passing of my good friend Allan Andrews, also known as the “Hockey Prof”. As the founder of Andrews Hockey Growth Programs Inc., Allan impacted the lives of countless athletes around the world. Generations have benefited from his wisdom both on and off the ice and through his mentoring. His innovative curriculum has been emulated across the country and be…
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Mr. Speaker, this is ongoing, obviously. There are consultations taking place as we speak, and I believe there is going to be a decision forthcoming. It is important to hear both sides of the story, and we will continue to monitor it. This is something that the government of the day is digging into. I have heard about this from members from the west coast in our own party as well.
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moved: That, in the opinion of the House, the government should designate the first day in October every year as National Canadian Seafood Day in recognition of the significant contributions of Canada’s fish harvesters and their families from coast to coast to coast, all the processors who help deliver world-class products that are enjoyed domestically and internationally, and all those who work i…
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Mr. Speaker, this is a very important issue and a very touchy issue for the fishermen, even in my riding. Some of my family fish, and I hear all about the seals all the time and the amount of fish they are eating. I did attend one of the committee meetings that the hon. member was attending. The Maritime Fishermen's Union, I believe, was at the table, and we were having this discussion. It becomes…
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Mr. Speaker, I think a day like this can bring together ideas and communication. We have a lot of things going on in the fishery across the country. Climate change, for example, is one. There are all kinds of regulated issues that we are dealing with. I think it is important to recognize this fishery. It could be a day perhaps when we can put partisan politics aside and bring out the goodness in t…
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Mr. Speaker, that is exactly what we are trying to do, to present a day when we can recognize those whom perhaps we do not get to see that often, who work so hard and tirelessly in the processing plants across the country to drive our economy and make us prosperous. It is important that we recognize them and give them a day to celebrate what they do.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I am sitting here reading data from a School of Public Policy, University of Calgary, economist Trevor Tombe. This is not coming from the Liberal government; it is coming from an economist in the hon. member's hometown: “We find that carbon taxes increase air transport costs by about 0.9 per cent. We find that food in B.C is only 0.3 per cent more expensive as a result of carbon tax…
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Mr. Speaker, this past weekend, I was pleased to join colleagues in Halifax for an announcement on the funding for the Ronald McDonald House Charities Atlantic. Ronald McDonald House serves as a place of comfort and stability for many families across Atlantic Canada in time of need. This weekend's announcement will ensure that Ronald McDonald House Atlantic is the first net-zero house in Canada, m…
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Mr. Speaker, my question is to the parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. The Conservative Party continues to delay Bill C-234. I am wondering if the parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Agri-Food and Agriculture can give us an update.
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise to recognize Nick Green, a constituent of Malpeque and an island beef producer who is in Ottawa today with maritime beef producers for their annual Hill day. Last year, Nick and his operation, Kingston View Farms, earned the Maritime Beef Council's The Environmental Stewardship Award for his commitment to sustainability in agriculture. Nick is the third generation…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Madam Speaker, I rise today to extend congratulations to the Kensington Monaghan Farms Wild, which captured the Atlantic major under 18 men's hockey championship this past weekend in Nova Scotia. This weekend's victory by the Wild followed an impressive performance in the Island provincial championships last month and marks the latest accomplishment in their highly successful season. For the first…
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Mr. Speaker, investments in infrastructure like roads, highways and bridges are crucial for our supply chains, local economies and traditional industries, commuters and all Canadians. Last week, our government, along with the Province of Prince Edward Island, invested over $21 million to improve local roads, benefiting islanders and building on significant infrastructure investments. Could the Min…
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Mr. Speaker, this upcoming weekend, Prince Edward Island will be the proud host of the prestigious 35th annual Joe O'Brien Awards. Standardbred Canada is thrilled to be returning to P.E.I., where the famous Joe O'Brien had his start, just like many other Islanders who are finalists in several harness racing categories this year. The harness racing industry has deep roots in P.E.I. as part of our c…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the tenth report of the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security in relation to Bill C-320, an act to amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act. The committee has studied the bill and has decided to report the bill back to the House without amendment.
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Mr. Speaker, the loss of innocent lives in the Middle East as a result of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has been tragic. There is an increasingly dire need to ensure that aid gets into Gaza, where civilians are suffering. Canadians want to know how the government is helping bring relief to the region. Can the Minister of International Development please update the House and Canadia…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, this past Saturday, November 25, marked International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and launched 16 days of activism, which will conclude on Human Rights Day on December 10. It is a time to reflect, unite and advocate for a world where every woman can live free from fear and violence. It also serves as a stark reminder that, despite progress, countless women around…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I want to go back a little to when the hon. member was a minister. The deal signed at that time was the Nexen deal. It was signed by selling off Nexen to a Chinese national offshore company for over $15 billion. The deal was signed in Russia in secret by former prime minister Stephen Harper. Does the member have any comments on that?
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