Evidence of meeting #125 for Environment and Sustainable Development in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was change.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:50 p.m.
Managing Partner, EcoAdvisors
They realize their own operations and additional revenue streams, definitely, yes.
4:50 p.m.
Mr. John Aldag (Cloverdale—Langley City, Lib.)
For our final round of questions, Mr. Stetski, you have three minutes.
4:50 p.m.
Kootenay—Columbia, NDP
Thank you.
I'll go back to Ms. Johnson, and I'll just repeat the question quickly.
What can we learn, or what should we be doing in Canada, based on what you've seen in other parts of the world, to be better prepared for climate change with respect to agriculture?
4:50 p.m.
Policy Advisor, Canadian Foodgrains Bank
Certainly, we know that the poorest and most vulnerable are impacted dramatically more by climate change, and yet they have had very little responsibility for it. We are seeing larger impacts around the world, impacts that we may start to face more of. I think increasingly we're starting to see weather extremes, storms and flooding that farmers are having to deal with here.
I think we have technology, we have knowledge and we have crop insurance. All of these things are very helpful for our farmers here in Canada. When we talk about small-scale farmers around the world, these are usually farms with zero mechanization, little access— particularly if you're a woman—to market and farming information, and no forms of insurance or very little opportunities for investment. There are some differences to how people recuperate and how resilient they are to those consequences.
I'll just add that we know that, in other parts of the world, what happens with climate change has broader global impacts. It affects our economies. It affects our trade. It affects our markets. It contributes to conflicts, and it contributes to our refugees, which is part of our aid budget as well. We really need to recognize that we need a global solution and we need to do our part, because it all comes back here as well.
4:50 p.m.
Kootenay—Columbia, NDP
What role do you think government should have in helping to “proof” agriculture from climate changes going forward?
4:50 p.m.
Policy Advisor, Canadian Foodgrains Bank
I think there are a number of things we could do. I think, certainly, we should support our farmers in finding cleaner technologies. Many of them are using amazing technologies now that allow them to reduce their emissions. We should offer support for those kinds of things.
Also, it would be useful to help form groups to support small enterprises or farming groups to share some of that knowledge and know-how with farmers around the world.
4:50 p.m.
Kootenay—Columbia, NDP
Just quickly, you mentioned right at the end of your talk that you were co-chair of the Canadian coalition, and then I lost track of the rest.
4:50 p.m.
Policy Advisor, Canadian Foodgrains Bank
It's the Canadian Coalition for Climate Change and Development, called C4D.
4:50 p.m.
Policy Advisor, Canadian Foodgrains Bank
That's about 25 Canadian organizations—NGOs and environmental organizations—focusing largely on international climate change in their work, but in the scope of other international work that they do. We come together to share knowledge and influence policy as well.
4:55 p.m.
Mr. John Aldag (Cloverdale—Langley City, Lib.)
That takes us to the end of this session.
I'd like to thank all our witnesses for being here. We've had some great discussion.
I'd like to remind you that if either of your organizations, or you as individuals, would like to submit a written brief in follow-up to the discussion today, you're welcome to do that. We tend to use 10 pages as a guideline. It just keeps things at a readable level, but it's not a hard requirement. If you do want to submit any additional information, please reach out to our clerk.
I'd like to welcome Mr. Blaney to our session.
With that, we're going to suspend for a few minutes. We're going to go in camera for some committee business. We'll suspend and be back in a minute.
[Proceedings continue in camera]
