Agriculture Committee on Oct. 2nd, 2018

[Mehgin Reynolds]

With regard to wait times at hospitals for physical injuries, those are going to vary by location, obviously, with population issues. On the mental health side of it, it could be half a year before I get in to see a therapist or a psychologist. I think the mental health side of things would be an area to try to improve.

As Sean said, I'm also a volunteer firefighter, and through the volunteer firefighting department I can get an appointment within a week. I would love to see something set up in the same way across Canada.

[Jean-Claude Poissant, Liberal, La Prairie, QC]

Thank you.

We were all young at one time. Before going into farming, are you really aware of what's in store for you? I knew right from the start, but it wasn't the type of farming we have today.

How did you feel when you decided to take up farming?

[Sean Stanford]

It was a difficult decision, I suppose, but it was an easy decision at the same time. I knew that I would not have a super-easy life ahead of me and that I would be putting in a lot of long hours, but it really was what I wanted to do.

I guess if your heart is in it and if you are passionate about it, then the decision is a lot easier. Trying to deal with some of the struggles along the way is kind of the challenging point, but I wouldn't change what I do for anything in the world. I love being my own boss and taking care of the land and producing a crop. There's nothing quite like it.

[The Chair, Liberal, Pat Finnigan]

Thank you, Mr. Stanford.

Thank you, Mr. Poissant.

Now we have Mr. Motz and Shipley, I think.

Go ahead for six minutes.

[Glen Motz]

Thank you, Chair, and thank you both for the courage you've demonstrated today in being here, sharing your stories and speaking on behalf of a sector and its struggles that aren't always well understood.

We know that people who grow up in the country rely on each other. It's the only resource you really have. When you look at that community structure, does that community structure, one that relies on helping each other, help deal with mental health?

[Sean Stanford]

It definitely helps, but as I said, there's not quite the structure there used to be. I can't even remember the last time I was at a community dance, and they used to have them quite often.

[Glen Motz]

Right.

[Sean Stanford]

I can't remember the last time I got together with some of the locals and just sat around and had a coffee or a beer or whatever. Times have changed. It seems that instead of farmers wanting to be friendly to each other all the time, it's almost more of a competition nowadays.

[Glen Motz]

It limits the ability to share some of the struggles you're going through personally.

[Sean Stanford]

It does, yes. I would say that's a fair point. It does limit it, especially, like I said, with land competition. The competition to buy farmland at home is so huge that sometimes you get put off by one of your neighbours, or maybe you're upset with him about something. It is a little tougher to have a tight-knit community like that right now, I would say.

[Mehgin Reynolds]

I think that education comes into that as well, because if someone breaks a hip, it's really easy to get a meal train set up to make sure that there's food going to their house and to do what we can. Maybe they can't run the tractor, so we're going to go and help them harvest, but when it's a mental health issue, people don't know how to deal with that. People don't know how to help. They're scared of overstepping. They're scared of making somebody feel weak or like they can't handle things.

I think it involves education, because there are times, if you're having a complete breakdown, that a person showing up to help you harvest or to bring you supper would be great, but I think that with mental health and the stigma around it, we don't want to go there. We don't want to impose. We just don't know how to help.

[Glen Motz]

Thank you for those responses.

Unfortunately, I've seen in my career a lot of individuals struggling with mental health challenges. Some of them end up in the justice system. Some of them, unfortunately, take their own lives. The impact that has on a community is devastating. We know that.

Based on your experiences, what actions or recommendations would you have this committee be aware of? In our committees as local leaders, should we be sharing more resources and bringing people together? How do we do that effectively in a farming community? How does it work?

You've shared some of the challenges; what suggestions do you have to make it better?

[Mehgin Reynolds]

I think it would be bringing in mental health first aid so people know about it. A lot of people don't even know that mental health is something that we deal with every day and that it's a moving scale. There needs to be so much education around it.

Perhaps having an app, having a way for us to be able to.... I'm stuck in my combine because it's harvest time, but I need to be able to reach out to somebody. I've got my phone. If there's an app and there's a therapist on the other end, I could do that. That would be a way to get inside our offices, so to speak, when we need it.

[Glen Motz]

Thank you for those comments. I have one very quick question, then I'll pass it off to Mr. Shipley.

Sometimes there's a disconnect between decisions governments make and the impact they have on the people they're making those decisions about.

Last summer there were tax implications announced by the current government, and it had a huge impact on farming and farming operations. From what you've heard in your communities and what you've experienced from that, can you explain the impact that has had on you guys personally and what you've heard in your communities?

[Sean Stanford]

Definitely the cost of production went up. Fertilizer, fuel and a lot of products that we need to use turned more expensive, definitely. In return, we did not get any more profit for the product that we produced. All the new taxes did was just take more money out of our profits, out of our bottom line, so we had to try to figure out where to tighten up to try to either make the same money or just try not to go broke.

It was really tough. It's hard, and it's an ongoing struggle. There are also new taxes in Alberta, as well, and it just seems to be getting harder and harder every day. We have to find other ways. If we can't change the taxes or if we can't get rid of the taxes, we have to figure out a way to still be cost-effective and make some money.

[Mehgin Reynolds]

Regarding the succession aspect of agriculture, a lot of farms in Canada—90%—are family run and family operated. There's the succession piece of how we convey that on to the next generation. A $1-million capital gains exemption is nothing. If you're looking at the cost of land, that is nothing.

For us, it's not a transfer of wealth to be taking over a family farm; it's a transfer of debt. It's a transfer of debt we'll work our whole lives to pay off.

[Glen Motz]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Pat Finnigan]

You have 30 seconds.

[Bev Shipley]

Mehgin, in your opening statement, you talked about being at a gathering of some 400 people, and there was a high percentage—some 90%—who you said had known someone who had come to suicide. That's a large gathering of people. I don't know what session it was, but will something come out of that to help us in terms of advice or direction from that number of people? If there is, could you give it to us?

[The Chair, Liberal, Pat Finnigan]

Unfortunately, Mr. Shipley, we will not have time.

Mr. Breton, you have six minutes.

[Pierre Breton, Liberal, Shefford, QC]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

Thanks to the witnesses for being here today. We appreciate the people on the ground appearing before the committee. It helps us more clearly understand the situation, find solutions and make recommendations to assist them in future.

We know that a farmer's work is solitary work. Farmers have their families and friends around them, but they don't always have colleagues or bosses to rely on. They are their own boss.

I don't know whether you were here when the first panel of witnesses appeared earlier. They included representatives of an organization that does preventive work using what they call field workers. These people, who are psychologists or social workers, make random visits to farmers to explain the services they can provide them.

Farmers don't always have time to consult someone when they don't feel well. Professionals go to the farmers, ask them questions and determine with them what services they can provide.

Do you have access to that kind of service? Would you be interested in having an organization provide those kinds of services in your province?

[Mehgin Reynolds]

There isn't currently anything like that in place that I know of. I think that could be a great resource, even just to bring everyone to a community hall so that they know what is available, what's out there and where the next steps would be. Maybe it's not that they need to tell everyone that they're talking to someone, but just to learn more of the information.

You're right: a lot of people don't know what is out there.

[Sean Stanford]

There is nothing like that where I live in Alberta, either, that I'm aware of. I am sure I would have heard of it by now if there were.

I think it is a good idea. I don't know how spread out the land base is of farmers and producers in Quebec, but I know Alberta is a fairly large area, so it would be a bit of a logistical challenge to be able to drive around and visit so many farms. However, I like the idea.

[Pierre Breton, Liberal, Shefford, QC]

Thank you for being here today. We very much appreciate your testimony. We sense your passion and encourage you to continue your good work.

[The Chair, Liberal, Pat Finnigan]

Thank you, Mr. Breton.

Thank you, Mr. Stanford and Ms. Reynolds, for being here with us today.

What you were able to share is very valuable. As a farmer myself, I've been through those. We keep referring to that bell curve. I've been on both sides. I certainly appreciate it. I know it will certainly help us in trying to find a way to serve our agriculture population better.

Thank you, everyone.

This is all the time we have, and we shall see you at the next meeting.

The meeting is adjourned.