Evidence of meeting #121 for Agriculture and Agri-Food in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was you're.
A video is available from Parliament.
9:10 a.m.
Liberal
Lawrence MacAulay Liberal Cardigan, PE
It's an important question, and it's the best question that has to be addressed—
9:10 a.m.
NDP
9:10 a.m.
NDP
Alistair MacGregor NDP Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC
Can you give your assurance that you're going to be on it?
9:10 a.m.
Liberal
Lawrence MacAulay Liberal Cardigan, PE
When anything happens in agriculture, the problem is to get the money into the hands of farmers.
9:10 a.m.
NDP
Alistair MacGregor NDP Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC
With the minute that I have remaining, the other major thing that we hear from a lot of our producers is with respect to the labour shortages issues. This just seems to keep on coming up again and again. I'd like to know if you can provide this committee with an update, Minister, on what your department is doing with respect to your other colleagues around the cabinet table to address some of the issues that producers have with the lengthy application times, the audits and so on. If we're going to grow our agricultural economy, we need to address that labour shortage.
Do you have any comments on that, Minister?
9:10 a.m.
Liberal
Lawrence MacAulay Liberal Cardigan, PE
I couldn't agree more, and I well understand the issue. Is it totally resolved? No, it's not. But there is a report going to be submitted in about.... Well, I don't know exactly when it is. I don't think the date has been given yet, to make sure.... Part of the problem is the growth in our economy, but also we need to address the issue of foreign workers. I understand what you're saying, and it's a well-taken and important question.
I have plants in my own district that won't operate without these people. You have operations that won't operate. The system was flawed. We're working very hard to make sure that many.... It's not under my jurisdiction, of course, but it certainly affects my department very much. I am well aware it affects my department, and I know how it affects a lot of departments. But we have to make sure that it's done properly and it's not taking the jobs from Canadians, which I don't believe it is in many cases. In fact, I believe that if we do not have the foreign workers, perhaps Canadians would not have their jobs—
9:10 a.m.
Liberal
Lawrence MacAulay Liberal Cardigan, PE
—because plants would close.
Chair, this is an important question. I can tell you quite honestly it's a concern of mine to make sure this is addressed. It's an ongoing, very important issue.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
9:15 a.m.
Liberal
9:15 a.m.
Liberal
Lloyd Longfield Liberal Guelph, ON
Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Thanks, Minister, for being here and for listening to our committee's concerns. It's really good to see that the fall economic statement reflects some of the studies we've done. We've looked at non-tariff barriers. There's funding for non-tariff barriers there. We've talked about improving our trade. There's money for trade commissioners.
I'm always interested in innovation, as you know. We never have a conversation where it doesn't come up. There's discovery science. The University of Guelph is a great partner of ours, as well as OMAFRA, in Guelph.
I was recently making an announcement on your behalf down in Leamington, with Competitive Green Technologies, using science from the University of Guelph. They were taking coffee grounds from McDonald's across Canada and making headlight inserts for Ford Motor Company, and then shipping them to Mexico for moulding that would come back for assembly. The types of investments that we're making in science are really game-changing and quite often hard to recognize as agricultural products, especially when you get into bioplastics and some of the nanotechnologies.
You've seen a lot of innovation over your 30 years serving in Parliament. Could you comment on how we're trying to keep in front of the game here, how we're trying to get to where the puck is going in terms of investment in innovation?
9:15 a.m.
Liberal
Lawrence MacAulay Liberal Cardigan, PE
No matter what area of the agricultural sector you're talking about, innovation, research and science are so important, as with what you were talking about, what you did at TruLeaf. We have so many areas to make sure we have the investment. We can grow so many products and create products that were not possible many years ago, and that's what we have to continue to invest in. We have to make sure the agricultural sector receives the appropriate remuneration for this. That is, of course, why we have the research.
You've done a lot at TruLeaf, and I just made an announcement down in Vineland the other day. It's amazing what can be done, when you talk about picking small cucumbers and picking mushrooms and this type of thing. This announcement was to make sure we're able to have a mechanism to pick cucumbers. It's interesting to see how it would be done: come in, go through the leaves, do everything else, and pick the proper cucumber in the proper state; that's something else.
Yes, Lloyd.
9:15 a.m.
Liberal
Lloyd Longfield Liberal Guelph, ON
I don't want to interrupt you as my colleague across the way did, because your answers are always interesting.
9:15 a.m.
Liberal
Lawrence MacAulay Liberal Cardigan, PE
That just continues on the great things we can do in agriculture.
9:15 a.m.
Liberal
Lloyd Longfield Liberal Guelph, ON
The trade commissioner is a very interesting piece. I met with Gay Lea in Guelph, a dairy producer. Of course, we were talking about the new trade agreement with the United States and the opportunity for shipping powdered milk, as an example. I've met with the Cattlemen's Association, and they said they need help getting into the Asian markets.
I've talked to other supply chains. I've talked to the turkey producers. Of course, they're being impacted by the new trade agreement. They said they would negotiate and work out solutions, but giving them money isn't necessarily the solution. They need more market access across Canada. They need help promoting their products in Canada. More people should eat turkey; it's a great protein and it's low in fat.
Working with the groups you're working with in supporting supply-managed sectors, the combination of trade across Canada and external trade isn't always about giving money in compensation for a lost market share; it's finding new markets.
It's very early in the game. We haven't met with them yet. We will be meeting over the next few months. Could you comment on how we will be dealing with the negotiations on protecting the market share and improving the market share for supply-managed sectors?
9:15 a.m.
Liberal
Lawrence MacAulay Liberal Cardigan, PE
Thank you very much, Lloyd.
I don't want to indicate that we've given any decision as to how this will be done, but it will be done. We need to make sure it comes from the ground up, as I explained previously, so that the people who are truly affected have a major voice in this issue.
As you're well aware, the chicken industry has expanded dramatically in this country. The turkey industry is having a bit of a problem. We will do anything we can to help promote turkey. The population, the demand for food and the consumption are increasing right across the country. You're right, we have to make sure that.... It can take investment, advertising, information. Everybody is concerned about their diet. I have a little problem in that area myself.
The truth is that it will attract more business. Again, I would hope that's some of the direction that's taken, but we have to make sure more Canadian product is consumed by Canadians. That's what we want to see happening.
9:20 a.m.
Liberal
Lloyd Longfield Liberal Guelph, ON
Thank you.
Very briefly, I was at the Agri-Food Canada research lab; they had an open house and invited the public. That's something new, letting us see what our federally funded scientists are doing. Congratulations on opening the doors. They're doing amazing work in the labs. It's great to see that you're investing in those labs as well.
Thank you very much, Minister.
9:20 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Pat Finnigan
Thank you, Mr. Longfield.
Mrs. Nassif, you have the floor for six minutes.
9:20 a.m.
Liberal
Eva Nassif Liberal Vimy, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I would also like to thank the minister and his colleagues for coming here today and giving us an update on agriculture.
Minister, I would like to take the opportunity to congratulate you on 30 years of service on behalf of Canadians living in Prince Edward Island.
Agriculture is a dynamic industry that offers many opportunities but certain challenges, as well. Over the past few weeks, our committee has heard quite a lot of heart-wrenching testimony from farmers from all over Canada. They face hardship and challenges which obviously have an effect on their mental health.
Minister, could you talk to us about what the government is doing to help farmers deal with mental health issues?