Agriculture Committee on June 18th, 2026

[The Chair, Liberal, Michael Coteau]

We have a point of order.

[Sophie Chatel, Liberal, Pontiac—Kitigan Zibi, QC]

I have been patient, but we are still in the middle of the food safety study. We have a plan. Right now, we are talking about matters that have not even been referred to the committee and are not even being discussed. I think there is a problem with—

[The Chair, Liberal, Michael Coteau]

It's not a point of order.

Mr. Gourde, continue.

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lévis—Lotbinière, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Food security means respecting those who produce our food, and there aren't that many of them left in Canada. The number of people who want to enter this profession in the future is still falling.

Being a landowner entails enormous responsibilities. However, we never imagine that our land might be taken away from us or split in two. Having your land split in two or having it taken away—in the end, it's pretty much the same thing.

There is currently a system in place that acts as a long-term deterrent for producers. What are you going to do, Minister, to put a stop to this?

[Heath MacDonald, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

We're going to work with the farmers to the best of my ability and communication. It's going to be key.

[The Chair, Liberal, Michael Coteau]

Thank you.

We'll go to the Liberals now for five minutes.

MP Dandurand, go ahead.

[Marianne Dandurand, Liberal, Compton—Stanstead, QC]

I'll let my colleague Mr. Connors start, and then I'll follow.

[Paul Connors, Liberal, Avalon, NL]

Thank you.

Thank you, Minister, for coming out today to answer some questions.

Just a few months ago we were in my riding of Avalon in Newfoundland and Labrador, and we visited some local producers from the area. As we heard from them, food security in our province is somewhat unique because we depend so much on bringing produce and other things to our island. We produce only roughly 20% of what we consume. Can you tell us how the food security strategy will support the agricultural industry and food security in my province?

[Heath MacDonald, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

Newfoundland is unique in some ways, as a distinct province, but northern communities are very similar to Newfoundland. It's something we're focused on.

I visited your riding, which has the egg hatchery and the new dairy co-op. Those are the types of things that may allow these individuals or those businesses to scale up with financing through the FSS to ensure that they can provide even more product to Newfoundland. It would also ensure that if there's a local hub that needs to be built somewhere in the northern part of the country, that could stabilize some of the products being moved to those areas and maintained there longer.... I think one of those food hubs would be most appropriate in the northern part of Newfoundland. There's also funding available for that.

It'll be interesting to see who takes advantage of that in your province, because it is a unique situation. It's also something that needs to be or is identified in the northern communities in places such as Saskatchewan, Yukon and Northwest Territories.

[Paul Connors, Liberal, Avalon, NL]

Over the past couple of meetings, we did have some people at committee from Newfoundland and Labrador who are very supportive of food hubs and are quite willing to take those challenges on to develop food hubs in our province. I'm really glad there's support for those.

I'm going to pass it over to my colleague now.

[Marianne Dandurand, Liberal, Compton—Stanstead, QC]

Thank you very much.

Thank you, Minister, for being with us.

I've been talking a lot in my riding about the new national food security strategy, which has been welcomed very well.

The question that always comes back to me, and I think you can answer it, is this. How will it help in our area with direct money? In rural areas, we are not used to getting money every time the government has programs such as that. I think this one is really relevant. For example, with food processing or food hubs, is it possible that in a riding such as mine, we will get money if people have projects we can support?

[Heath MacDonald, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

Yes, certainly.

The whole emphasis is on being less dependent on imports. Seventy-two per cent of vegetables are imported in this country. I think it's 89% of fruits and vegetables. Anytime we have an opportunity to provide hydroponics, greenhouses or something else, or increase capacity for an existing business, and then have the storage capabilities as well, whether it's freezers or cold storage...I think that's the whole emphasis. I think that all projects are on the table, and I certainly hope that communities that have some opportunities will put forth some very interesting projects.

Going back to your colleague, I'll say that creating those food hubs is extremely important and that we do as much as we can here at home. A good example of that is Lufa Farms. They grow 90% to 95% of the product. They put together 42,000 baskets a week in Montreal. They sell at a rate lower than Costco and Walmart. The other 5% to 10% comes from the farm gate. The protein, bread or what have you comes from the farm gate. Farmers are taking advantage of that as well. These types of companies are starting to expand. If we can help them expand faster, then that's what government should be doing.

[Marianne Dandurand, Liberal, Compton—Stanstead, QC]

I have a few seconds left, so I have two really rapid things. First of all, abattoirs, slaughterhouses, are such an important issue. Do you have something to say about them? As well, with respect to African swine fever, and there are a lot of pork producers in my riding, where are we with that?

[Heath MacDonald, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

We're doing everything possible to ensure that abattoirs meet, first of all, CFIA regulations, and CFIA is willing to give them the gold glove service or the white glove service, whatever you want to call it, to ensure that they can scale up to that and then move their product from province to province, or export.

[The Chair, Liberal, Michael Coteau]

Thank you.

We'll go to Monsieur Lemire for two and a half minutes.

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Minister, one of the aspects that Quebeckers are very concerned about regarding the long-delayed negotiations with the Americans to renew the agreement is obviously the protection of supply management.

Can you assure us that this is still a priority for your government and for you?

What are the recent developments on protecting supply management?

[Heath MacDonald, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

The negotiations, obviously, are ongoing, and it's a priority. The U.S. is our biggest trading partner. We depend on them. They depend on us. We're integrated. I can't say much more about it, but it's a priority for us, and we'll continue to seek out the best possible deal for Canadians. Sometimes the rhetoric you hear in the media is not necessarily what's taking place behind closed doors, but I think we have a pretty good trade team in place to deal with some of these issues, so we'll go from there.

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Through Bill C‑30, the government is giving itself huge emergency powers for pesticides. Even the CropLife association pointed out that these were extraordinary powers and that it was very happy about that.

Are we playing with people's health by reintroducing pesticides that had been banned?

Above all, isn't there a serious risk of shutting out export markets in Europe, where countries impose reciprocal standards?

[Heath MacDonald, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

I look at it as a minister of one year, I guess. I talked a little bit about the issues and what the expedience of processes has done to Canada as a whole. You don't have to look too far. It's seeds, feeds, fertilizers and innovation technology. On the innovation side, we can look at how long the U.S. has been using drones, which are climate-friendly; precision farming and less spray. We implemented them just in the last year, but the U.S. has been using them for, I don't know, eight years, 10 years or something to that effect.

People get concerned about pesticides, and I get it, but the bottom line is that we're not going to jeopardize the health of Canadians with any legislation. It's not going to happen. I think we need to make sure that we have our farmers on a level playing field with farmers in other countries.

We're importing food. We all eat apples. Apples are coming from Mexico. Apples have pesticides on them. Nobody's talking about it. We need to keep it in perspective. I think there are some groups out there that like to raise the red flag, but those are likely the same people who are eating from a bag of McIntosh apples this morning. That's what annoys me. We're not doing anything that no other country is doing. Some of these products have been approved in other countries for five years, six years, seven years or longer.

[The Chair, Liberal, Michael Coteau]

Thank you so much.

We'll go to Mr. Epp for five minutes.

[Dave Epp, Conservative, Chatham-Kent—Leamington, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Minister, vital to food security is, of course, a continued investment in research. Fifty-four per cent of the cuts are to the workforce of the science and innovation branch, 75% of the spending that's already been tabled here. However, you did state that the scientists are being offered relocation. Can you tell us how many are staying within the branch? We have had direct testimony and conversations with some who are transferring to another branch.

[Heath MacDonald, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

The deputy has been hands-on in this. We've had discussions with provinces and academia. We've been moving forward with Saskatchewan. We've had discussions with Alberta.

[Dave Epp, Conservative, Chatham-Kent—Leamington, ON]

Just a number.

[Lawrence Hanson]

There are people who work in the science branch who are not necessarily our research scientists. Again, with respect to the research scientists, the people we're talking about who are leading scientific research, of the 26 who were offered relocation, 23 have moved to other research facilities in the department and therefore inside the STB.

[Dave Epp, Conservative, Chatham-Kent—Leamington, ON]

Thank you.

Also vital to food security is, of course, efficient access to good farmland. Farm groups are asking for more meaningful consultation, yet the government is saying that they have already been consulted. Why do they keep coming to us? Why have UPA, the OFA, the NFU, the CFFO and the UCFO penned a letter asking for a pause on the Alto project?