Agriculture Committee on Nov. 17th, 2009

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Mark Eyking]

My two colleagues, I wish we could get back on track. We have some new members at our committee and they would like to speak too.

Mr. Easter, perhaps you could wrap it up, and then we can go to the NDP.

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

Mr. Chair, I will.

I'm glad to see the government is reading my report, “Empowering Canadian Farmers in the Marketplace”. It's just too bad they won't act on it a little more strenuously.

Anyway, to the point I was going to raise on AgriFlexibility, Mr. Chair, when I travel through Ontario and a wee bit in Quebec, there's strong support for an AgriFlexibility program that can actually be used as a companion program for ASRA in Quebec and business risk management, or RMP, in Ontario.

The minister promised there would be an AgriFlexibility program; however, it doesn't meet the requirements the farm industry had asked for in terms of AgriFlexibility. As a result, there is concern among farmers that it's not being used properly. In fact, we're beginning to see now that AgriFlexibility is really a slush fund for the minister to do the little things he wants to do instead of being used as a companion program to RMP and ASRA, as was the intent of the industry in the beginning.

[An hon. member]

You're never in your riding.

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

I am in my riding, guys. I meet with hog and beef producers quite often. Maybe that's your government's problem.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Mark Eyking]

Mr. Easter and colleagues, we just hope young farmers are not watching this right now.

That being said, Mr. Easter, perhaps you could wrap it up, because the NDP hasn't had a chance to speak on this motion yet. It would be nice for them to say a few words.

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

I have two more points, Mr. Chair.

We've had the hog and beef industry before this committee, as I said, and they expressed a real concern. The beef industry came together—and it's not a big amount of money—to get some assurance and bring some stability to the industry. They asked for something as simple as $31.70 a head for OTM cattle, an SRM disposal compensation program, at a cost of only $24 million. The Conservative members rejected it. That would have given some assurance to people coming into the beef industry that the government cares, but the government, of course, rejected that out of hand.

The biggest area on beef and hogs--and we raised it with the hog producers when they were here--was that a number of things could be done that would not affect us in terms of the WTO and trade issues; that is, eliminating the viability test. In fact, that nearly $1 billion that's in the safety net programs could have been used and paid out to producers without affecting us on a trade basis. We could have used the better of the Olympic average or the previous three-year average for reference margin calculations. The beef and hog industry support that, but the government continues to reject it.

Mr. Chair, if the government had moved in a couple of areas and used the money that's available in the Agriculture and Agri-Food documents, it would have helped the industry and perhaps given some security and a better foundation for people to come into this industry.

The last point I would make, Mr. Chair, also goes to what the Conservative members on this committee rejected. That was the proposal from the Canadian Association of Agri-Retailers. They talked about the security measures in place in the United States.

[An hon. member]

That isn't relevant.

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

It is relevant.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Mark Eyking]

Our committee today consists of nine males and two females. The ladies didn't get to speak yet. I would hope we would let them speak.

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

I need 30 seconds, Mr. Chair.

The reason this point is relevant is that if a young farmer is going to grow grain, corn, or crops--and certainly there's increase in the organic area--a lot of them are going to use fertilizer. Because the Government of Canada rejects the crop input security tax credit they have asked for, it means this cost gets passed on to primary producers. It's a case of the government again showing they really don't care about this agricultural industry and therefore it's one of the reasons young farmers are turning away from the industry.

I have about 10 more points I could make, Mr. Chair, but given the time I will stop there.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Mark Eyking]

Maybe we'll have time for that later, Mr. Easter. Thank you very much.

Mrs. Hughes, you're next.

[Carol Hughes, NDP, Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, ON]

Thank you very much.

Thank you for the enlightening speech. I hope I didn't lose my train of thought too much.

But I want to actually support my colleague from the Bloc with regard to his comments about Minister Blackburn being out there and doing this tour in trying to help young farmers. I don't think any of us here are opposed to doing a study on young farmers and looking at the sustainability and profitability of the farming industry at both levels. We certainly wouldn't be here talking about these types of studies had the Liberal government and the Conservative government dealt with this efficiently since they had and have been in power.

Again I think it's important, in accordance with the comments made by my colleague from the Bloc, to say that I too am kind of leery about going forward at this point with this motion, given the fact that there is some work being done out there. I think the study would be in a better position to look at proper direction once a report is tabled, unless, of course, our colleagues on the other side are basically of the opinion that the report that will be tabled may not be tabled in its entirety and may not be transparent. If that's the case, then I could see why they would want to move forward on such a study. Maybe they would like to clarify that for us.

I'm from northern Ontario, and I can tell you that at a recent event I had a young farmer come up to me and say how difficult it is for them to actually start up. If they were listening today, I think they'd be pretty disappointed with hearing all the interruptions on the other side with regard to my colleague on the Liberal side and some of the comments he was making. Unfortunately, as I said, both sides have continuously refused or basically ignored the needs of farmers in this country, or we wouldn't be here trying to argue this at this point.

The reason I won't be voting in favour of this today is to ensure that you have the proper information on the tour that's just being conducted and that this motion be tabled after that fact.

Thank you.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Mark Eyking]

Thank you, Mrs. Hughes.

We're going to go to Madame Bonsant.

[France Bonsant, Bloc, Compton—Stanstead, QC]

Thank you. It's always amusing to witness testosterone contests.

Mr. Chairman, I agree with my colleague. If Mr. Blackburn is visiting young farmers, he will be able to take the pulse of the community directly on the ground. My riding is large and primarily agricultural. I have been to every corner of it and I can tell you that one thing is mentioned over and over. If we had really taken the time to look at what is happening in the farm industry, we would not be where we are now. Young farmers are having trouble making a go of it, because of oil and the weather. Forecasts may be made this week only for people to discover next year that there is a shortage of water, rather than a surplus of it. You have to keep starting all over again. If Mr. Blackburn wants to go on this tour, then he should do so and table a report, but not a year from now; he should not just take his time like the Minister of Justice; we are still waiting to receive the RCMP report.

We try to find solutions to problems, but all we ever see is partisanship. It's shocking. In my riding, farmers are committing suicide because they don't know where to turn. And in this Committee, we have clowns who sit here playing with people's lives. I don't find that funny. If you haven't gone to see your farmers, to find out how things are going, I can tell you that I have. I talked to a man who saw his friend standing at the top of a grain elevator. He wanted to jump because he wasn't receiving any help. And you say you are concerned about the fate of young farmers? I doubt that very much; you're not even concerned about what's happening to older farmers. It's terrible. I have good reason to be a sovereignist!

Mr. Chairman, no one can be against motherhood and apple pie, but we can be smart about this. We should get down to work and set about trying to change things. I am a new member of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food. I now know what happens when a bunch of petty males sitting around this table decide to engage in pitched battle. But that is not what being a member of Parliament is all about. A member of Parliament is there to help people, young and old. Even if there is a tour ongoing and they are canvassed on this, do you think they will laugh in our face if we ask them to come back? They will tell us that Mr. Blackburn came to see them and will repeat what he said. Then we will propose something else to them, and they will respond by saying they were told something different and that something else was going to be done. It will be exactly like what happened with “Product of Canada” labelling. When the young people came to see us, they said they wanted it to be 85%. But you just went your own sweet way and set the standard at 98%. So, what is the point of our hearing witnesses? It's a slap in the face for them.

Furthermore, people appeared before the Committee to explain organic products. But you paid no attention to their testimony. What is the point of all these reports if you have absolutely no interest in helping these people? That is what is really shocking about all this.

I, personally, went to meet with farmers. You, too, are farmers, but you are lucky enough to be in receipt of a good salary and be able to pay young farmers. The farmers in my riding are not that lucky. You have two salaries, but that is not the case for young people. They are looking after their parents and trying to work seven days a week, but it just doesn't work. They're discouraged. Just for once in your life, could you stop thinking about Afghanistan and turn your minds to the young people out there who are trying to get started in farming and make a life for themselves? Also, a lot of people who leave the urban environment to live in the country receive no help whatsoever. It's fine to talk about young farmers and to have all sorts of good intentions, but you don't actually put your heart into it. That's the truth; you can't deny it.

I have been here for less than a year, and I haven't seen anything actually be resolved. Mr. Storseth and Mr. Easter, all you have been able to say is that you did it. So, what are we doing here? Young people need our help, and it is up to us to give them the help they need.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Mark Eyking]

Thank you very much, Madame Bonsant.

This motion was discussed at a previous meeting, and I think we'd do everybody a service if we could get the motion done today. We only have a few minutes left.

André, would you like to say a few words, and then Mr. Shipley? I would appreciate it if you would speak for just a minute each, so that we can tidy this up and vote on it before our witnesses come.

[André Bellavance, Bloc, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

I wanted to make a suggestion. It's about Minister Blackburn's cross-Canada tour.

The press release says that the Minister will be organizing roundtables. However, Mr. Blackburn has decided to do that in only five provinces, or half of Canada. He is only doing part of the work. Perhaps we could do the other part? I know he will be convening roundtables in Ontario, Nova Scotia, Quebec, Saskatchewan and British Columbia. So, people in Alberta, Prince Edward Island and Manitoba will not have an opportunity to be heard. Five provinces are being left out, although I do not know exactly why. Maybe he intends to invite people from the Maritimes to join him in Nova Scotia.

Once he has completed his tour, I would suggest that the Committee take a look at the report I hope Minister Blackburn will be tabling. If we invite him and other stakeholders to appear, we can do the necessary follow-up by conducting our own study. I think that would be the ideal way to proceed.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Mark Eyking]

Thank you, Mr. Bellavance.

I think we can take those suggestions to the steering committee and deal with them that way.

Mr. Shipley, you can tidy up your motion--

[Bev Shipley, Conservative, Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON]

I have a quick clarification, Mr. Chair.

You know, I've farmed all my life. When I started, it was really difficult to start farming. That was a few years ago.

Aside from all the stuff that's been talked about here, the minister is out talking about agriculture. This motion is specific to beginning young farmers. So I ask, Mr. Chair, that we set those discussions aside, that we work within this committee to deal with the focus on beginning and young farmers, and that we call the vote on it.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Mark Eyking]

The vote has been called.

[Brian Storseth, Conservative, Westlock—St. Paul, AB]

Mr. Chair, can we have a recorded vote, please?

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Mark Eyking]

Okay. Are there any other questions on the motion?

[Carol Hughes, NDP, Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, ON]

Can I get some clarification on what my colleague from the Bloc has just--

[An hon. member]

The vote has been called.

[The Vice-Chair, Liberal, Mark Eyking]

No, I asked if there was any more comment.

Do you want clarification?

[Carol Hughes, NDP, Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, ON]

Yes.