Last week the Minister of Agriculture said, “Step by step we are giving our farmers...the tools they need to continue their...work.”
On April 30, the Canadian Federation of Agriculture called on the minister to create a $2.6-billion fund “to maintain food security in Canada”. This morning, the Prime Minister announced $252 million, hit-and-miss, across the agriculture sector. With all due respect, this is a slap in the face to our farmers and the agri-food sector. Instead of being here to speak to this announcement, the minister has chosen to do a press conference. This certainly reveals how seriously the minister takes this virtual sitting and parliamentary accountability.
If the deputy minister is going to answer the question in her place, how does she see it is right to be providing $9 billion to students and only crumbs to our agriculture sector?