Agriculture Committee on Dec. 7th, 2022

[Ryan Turnbull, Liberal, Whitby, ON]

I have a point of order.

[The Chair, Liberal, Kody Blois]

Mr. Turnbull, you can go ahead. I'm going to stop the clock. I think I already know what your point of order is going to be, Mr. Turnbull.

Yes, I was watching closely the line of questioning. Yes, if someone asks a question, ultimately it is their time, but as the chair, I need to balance the respect level for the minister to have an adequate opportunity.

Mr. Steinley, I was watching closely. It is your time, but if you ask a question, we all want to hear the minister's response. I would ask you to walk that careful line between your principal questions that you want to ask and the minister's ability to respond.

Is that okay?

Mr. Turnbull, are you good?

Okay.

[Warren Steinley, Conservative, Regina—Lewvan, SK]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

It's not my definition of a family farm. It's Statistics Canada's definition of a family farm.

In 2030, the carbon tax is going to hit family farms with $150,000 a year. Do you think a family farm can absorb that kind of tax hit?

[Marie-Claude Bibeau, Liberal, Compton—Stanstead, QC]

Once again, I'm not sure we have the same definition of what a family farm is. I'm still not sure if you're talking about the family or the tax on the farm.

[Warren Steinley, Conservative, Regina—Lewvan, SK]

Okay. Thank you, Madam Minister.

I heard recently, during question period, your colleague Mr. Boissonneault talk about there being crop failures across Canada this year. He was talking about food insecurity as being an issue with crop failures, but I've read that we had the third-largest harvest for wheat in Canadian history.

Would you agree with that?

[Marie-Claude Bibeau, Liberal, Compton—Stanstead, QC]

We had a good year, definitely.

[Warren Steinley, Conservative, Regina—Lewvan, SK]

Would you be able to take that back to your colleague? I don't think crop failure is a part of the issue that we're having right now with food insecurity. Would you agree with that?

[Marie-Claude Bibeau, Liberal, Compton—Stanstead, QC]

He might be referring to 2021, but 2022 was a good one. However, 2021, because of the drought, obviously, was a difficult one.

[Warren Steinley, Conservative, Regina—Lewvan, SK]

Okay. Thank you.

A study done recently by CropLife says that as a percentage of emissions, agriculture is 8% of the total carbon emissions of Canada's total of 1.8% of world emissions.

Would you agree with that?

[Marie-Claude Bibeau, Liberal, Compton—Stanstead, QC]

The emissions I have are 10%. You're saying 8%. We're close.

[Warren Steinley, Conservative, Regina—Lewvan, SK]

Okay. Thank you very much.

On the world stage, other jurisdictions around the world have their emissions from agriculture at 26%. Canada, on the world stage, is doing very well.

When you're on the world stage, are you able to make sure that we are promoting our innovation and technology and make sure that people are able to incorporate some of that so that we can lower the world's emissions?

[Marie-Claude Bibeau, Liberal, Compton—Stanstead, QC]

Absolutely.

I can assure you that I'm speaking very highly of the commitment of our producers to adopt these best practices. In terms of intensity, we are leaders in the world. We can always do better.

This is why, if you compare our way of proceeding here in Canada with voluntary targets and incentives, we are in a different world in terms of our support too.

[Warren Steinley, Conservative, Regina—Lewvan, SK]

Thank you very much.

I have one last question. Would you be able to bring back to this committee a list of agricultural stakeholders who think the carbon tax implementation policy is a good idea and who think the reduction of fertilizer usage is a good idea?

[Marie-Claude Bibeau, Liberal, Compton—Stanstead, QC]

I can tell you that the beef producers, the dairy producers and the grain producers all have a very ambitious target in terms of reducing their emissions. I mean, the price on pollution is a tool that is key, and we are investing in the transition massively, with $1.5 billion up until now, and even more when you add the sustainable cap to it. We have a voluntary target, and we are all working together, investing in research and innovation and being in the field with our farmers through our living labs.

[The Chair, Liberal, Kody Blois]

That is time. Thank you, Mr. Steinley.

Thank you, Minister Bibeau.

We're now going to turn to our final questioner.

Ms. Valdez, you have up to five minutes.

[Rechie Valdez, Liberal, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

Thank you, Chair.

Welcome back, Minister.

We all know that diversifying export markets for agriculture products is crucial for the development of the sector and that the Indo-Pacific region is an area of high potential growth. Last month, you announced the creation of the Indo-Pacific Agriculture and Agri-Food office. Can you give us more details about this initiative and explain why it is important?

[Marie-Claude Bibeau, Liberal, Compton—Stanstead, QC]

Well, we have signed the CPTPP to increase our potential for exports to this region. I'm very excited about this Indo-Pacific strategy that the Prime Minister announced a few weeks ago.

This was a request from the sector to increase our presence in the region. While we already have a few trade and CFIA representatives in different countries in this region, now we will put in place a full bureau, which will significantly support our exporters of food to the region by being there to represent and assist our exporters to the region by having CFIA representatives there to deal with any issues that might arise in terms of making sure we comply with their expectations.

I really look forward to having all the details and to sharing them with you in terms of the numbers, the profile of this team and the location as well, which is being discussed.

[Rechie Valdez, Liberal, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

Thank you.

As my last question, many stakeholders whom we've met here in committee have told us that they're worried about the possible arrival of the African swine fever in Canada, which may have a huge impact on our ability to export this product, considering that 70% of the pork produced in Canada is exported.

Can you describe what measures we're putting in place to prevent or mitigate the possible arrival of that disease?

[Marie-Claude Bibeau, Liberal, Compton—Stanstead, QC]

You're right: This is a disease that is extremely worrying. We've been working closely with the industry and the provinces for years now on this issue. Since I've been here, we've been working on this and making sure that we do everything we can to prevent the disease from entering the country and being ready if it ever comes.

Last summer, I announced some financing—$23.4 million—and we have recently opened a program to support the industry in different ways: to increase biosecurity measures, for example, or to adapt some processing facilities to eventually have the capacity to face a massive depopulation if it ever has to be done. Also, $19.8 million is going towards CFIA for prevention and preparedness efforts, with $2.1 million also going to the Canada Border Services Agency to put additional measures in place, once again to prevent the disease from entering the country.

[Rechie Valdez, Liberal, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

You've talked a lot about food safety and how important it is for Canadians. I appreciate the update. Thank you, Minister.

[The Chair, Liberal, Kody Blois]

Colleagues, thank you so much.

I want to say a couple of things. We have a good reputation on the Hill as a committee in being non-partisan, in the sense that, yes, we take principled positions, but we do so in a respectful manner, and I want to say that I thought that was really good. Over the last number of meetings, I've been impressed at the way we're working as a group.

Mr. Steinley, you had a very passionate question, I know, but I thought you were respectful, notwithstanding that I had to intervene.

Thank you, colleagues—honestly, thank you—because at the end of the day, it is important that we're able to discuss these issues collectively on behalf of the Canadian agriculture industry and farmers and do so in a way that's principled and respectful of the whole process.

Minister, thank you for being here. Thank you for your work on behalf of the Canadian agriculture industry. I want to wish you a merry Christmas and happy holidays.

Colleagues, we're going to break for just a short bit. You can grab a bite to eat, and then we're going to get right back with our departmental officials.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Kody Blois]

All right, colleagues, we're going to get back to it. Thank you for the quick transition.

Of course, now we have our officials. I want to start by welcoming the folks who are in the room. Thank you for your work. Honestly, we appreciate all that you do in the agriculture space with your respective agencies.

There are no opening remarks for this portion. It is just a question-and-answer back-and-forth. We'll do our rounds, and I'll take advice from you. If you want to go the full hour, we can; if you think we've exhausted things, I will take my direction from those in the room.

Mr. Nater, we go over to you for six minutes.

[John Nater, Conservative, Perth—Wellington, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

It's great to be here. I'm not normally a member of this committee, so it's nice to be able to sub in from time to time to discuss some important matters. As a heads-up, I'll be sharing my last minute or so with Monsieur Lehoux.

Thank you to our witnesses today. I want to start with questions for Mr. Forbes.

I'm curious if you're aware of the total amount of tariffs that have been collected on fertilizer from Russia. Could you could split that number between pre-March 2 and post-March 2?

[Chris Forbes]

I don't have that number with me.

[John Nater, Conservative, Perth—Wellington, ON]

Is that a number that the department would have in its possession?