Agriculture Committee on Dec. 3rd, 2024

[Lawrence Hanson]

This is an ongoing discussion between the firm and Canada Border Services Agency, which has carriage of this issue.

[Lianne Rood, Conservative, Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON]

Minister, was it your decision, then, to reverse the decision on the tariffs?

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Cardigan, PE]

No, it would not be my decision. It's a border issue.

[Lianne Rood, Conservative, Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON]

Thank you.

In 2021, the Liberal government made all rail crossings require the same safety standard, including rail crossings on farms, even where they're only used a couple of times per year. Was there a rise in rail accidents on these private crossings?

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Cardigan, PE]

I don't have the details on that.

[Lianne Rood, Conservative, Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON]

Then what prompted the Liberal government to make those changes to the regulated crossings on private lands?

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

I have a point of order.

[The Chair, Liberal, Kody Blois]

Hold on, Minister and Ms. Rood. I've stopped the clock.

Go ahead on your point of order, Mr. Drouin.

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

As the honourable member has heard from the previous testimony, this would have been a regulation change started in 2014 when she and her party were in government. It was only the implementation date that got delayed.

I want to provide facts. Facts are important in this discussion. The Minister of Agriculture and AAFC have nothing to do with that. That's a Transport Canada issue, and I think we'll be hearing from rail transport companies on Thursday.

[The Chair, Liberal, Kody Blois]

Ms. Rood.

[Lianne Rood, Conservative, Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON]

Again, Minister, would you have made a representation to the Minister of Transport, given that you're the agriculture minister, to make those changes at the regulated crossings on private lands despite...?

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Cardigan, PE]

If I was here, possibly I would. If it was involving agriculture, I would have input.

[Lianne Rood, Conservative, Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON]

Are you aware how much it will cost an average farm to upgrade a crossing?

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Cardigan, PE]

No, I'm not.

[Lianne Rood, Conservative, Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON]

I can give that to you. It's going to cost between $600,000 and $2 million per farmer.

Do you know how much it would cost to maintain those crossings annually?

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Cardigan, PE]

That's something I would have to look into. I haven't received a complaint on that, and perhaps I will after this committee hearing. I would certainly not want to see farmers faced with something like that, and I'll try to deal with it.

I think farmers and all sectors understand that I work on their behalf, but this is something I'm not abreast of, actually. I will deal with it. You've brought it to the forefront, and I'm sure we'll hear more about it from this day on.

[Lianne Rood, Conservative, Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON]

Thank you, Minister.

I'll just let you know that the media reports say that it's going to cost up to $200,000 annually for a farmer to maintain those crossings. I know many farmers are wondering how they're going to pay for the upgrade and maintain the crossings. I'm just curious why the Liberal government would allow these railroads to download these costs onto farmers.

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Cardigan, PE]

Number one, I would have to have somebody bring it to my attention and, if they did, I would certainly work with the farmers to make sure to not let...because I'm fully aware, being a farmer, that the ones who pay the price, in the end, are always farmers. Sometimes governments help, but farmers end up paying, without any question, and I don't want to see that.

[Lianne Rood, Conservative, Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON]

Thank you.

Farmers asked for an extension to the November 25 deadline or to find some common-sense safety standard for these rail crossings. Did you encourage the Minister of Transport to delay the implementation of these onerous changes?

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Cardigan, PE]

My discussion with the Minister of Transport would be a cabinet issue, and I will not be discussing that here.

[Lianne Rood, Conservative, Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON]

Would you extend it, Minister?

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Cardigan, PE]

I would have to know the details of it before I would—

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

I have a point of order.

Obviously, this is a transport issue. I respect the honourable member, but the Minister of Agriculture does not have the authority to extend that power. Obviously, he's made some advocation at cabinet—

[Lianne Rood, Conservative, Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON]

It's on farms.

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

By the way, no farmer has paid a single cent yet.