House of Commons Hansard #407 of the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was farmers.

Topics

Opposition Motion—International TradeBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

4:05 p.m.

Winnipeg North Manitoba

Liberal

Kevin Lamoureux LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

Madam Speaker, as someone from the west, I want to assure those who are following this debate that this government has indeed been shoulder to shoulder with our canola producers, standing up for them in many different ways.

Today we announced an increase in the maximum loan limit, from $400,000 to $1 million. Interest rates have been forgiven, from $100,000 to $500,000. The government has been working with the different stakeholders, in particular our producers and others out in western Canada, to ensure we minimize the negative impact of what is taking place.

We have been doing this for weeks. However, it is only now that the Conservative Party is trying to raise the issue. When the Conservatives tried to raise it before, it was always that they need unanimous for this or that. They knew they were out of place at the time. Why did they not bring it in on an opposition day or something of that nature?

Opposition Motion—International TradeBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

4:10 p.m.

Conservative

Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC

Madam Speaker, we tried to raise it in committee, but they refused. We tried to raise it by requesting an emergency debate, but they refused.

I was in Winnipeg last week, close to my colleague from Winnipeg Centre's riding. Farmers in Winnipeg do not believe a single word he just said. They do not believe that the people from Winnipeg, the Liberals in western Canada, have stood up for them or that this government has defended them. I spoke to them. They called this a political crisis and wondered why their politicians were not getting involved and not including Chinese politicians in this crisis.

They are sick of the Liberals being elected. They are just plain sick of the Liberals. They cannot wait to have people in their riding who will represent them and stand up for them.

Opposition Motion—International TradeBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

4:10 p.m.

NDP

Brigitte Sansoucy NDP Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC

Madam Speaker, my colleague knows how proud I am to represent a riding where the agri-food sector is the main economic driver.

Would he agree that the government's lack of support for canola farmers is yet more proof of its lack of consideration for the agri-food sector?

The farmers I represent became disillusioned in the first six months as they saw how little consideration the government gave to the agriculture sector in all of its international trade agreements and international relations, from the agreement with Europe to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, which, incidentally, had been initiated by the previous Conservative government.

Dairy farmers and food processors struggle to understand why 17,000 tonnes of European cheese is flooding into Canada. Our beef farmers cannot believe they are barred from exporting their beef to Europe. Veal farmers in my riding worry that Europe's veal market will kill our own. Farmers in supply-managed sectors are afraid of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and the USMCA.

Does my colleague agree with Canadian farmers that this government's agriculture ministers have no voice at all at the cabinet table?

Opposition Motion—International TradeBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

4:10 p.m.

Conservative

Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC

Madam Speaker, my colleague is right.

This government is not interested in respecting the agricultural sector. Agriculture ministers were conspicuously absent from every trade mission to negotiate agreements such as the TPP and CETA.

The Liberal government's agriculture minister was not at the table for talks on agriculture. The Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food is unwilling to talk to the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food about the canola crisis. I even saw the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food laugh when we talked about how difficult things are on the international stage. We have problems with chickpeas in India, problems with durum wheat in Italy and Vietnam, problems everywhere, yet they sit there and do absolutely nothing. They have no interest in resolving international crises. All they want to do is wait until things sort themselves out.

We will wait until October 21. We will sort things out then.

Opposition Motion—International TradeBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

4:10 p.m.

La Prairie Québec

Liberal

Jean-Claude Poissant LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Madam Speaker, before I begin my speech, I would like to point out that I farmed my ancestors' land for 40 years, so I too have experienced this sort of crisis first-hand.

I thank the members for Durham and Mégantic—L'Érable for their interest in this important issue for our canola farmers and our economy. The government is well aware of the concerns of farmers and their families regarding the current upheaval in international markets, particularly since it coincides with spring seeding. That is why, this morning, we announced two important measures that we are taking to support them at this difficult time.

First, we made changes to the advance payments program and the maximum loan amounts for 2019. The advance amounts for all agricultural products will increase from $400,000 to $1 million. The first $100,000 will remain interest-free for all producers, while the interest-free portion for canola farmers will increase to $500,000.

Second, we came to an agreement with the provincial and territorial governments to extend the application deadline for the AgriStability program by two months without penalty for 2019, from April 30 to July 2, 2019. This is a federal-provincial program that seeks to stabilize farm income whenever production margins experience significant decline. By giving farmers more time to register for the program and benefit from it, we are giving them another effective way of managing the risks associated with market volatility.

Canola is a symbol of agricultural innovation and prosperity for Canada. Today, the canola industry contributes nearly $27 billion to the Canadian economy, an amount that has tripled in the past 10 years.

Canada is the world's largest producer and exporter of canola. Canada's canola industry, producers and other stakeholders in the value chain have worked hard, and as a result, Canadian canola is recognized around the world as a top quality product. That is something we can be proud of.

Furthermore, we know that stable markets for our canola mean more money in producers' pockets and good jobs for the middle class. This is why the trade dispute with China over canola is a top priority for Canada. We take this issue very seriously and are working tirelessly to resume the trade of canola with China.

Canada has a strong, longstanding relationship with China. We are working on all fronts and are doing everything possible in China and here, in Canada. We are also working closely with the industry and the provinces. It is important to act based on science.

Canadian representatives inspected the canola seed shipments before they were exported to China. These inspections complied with all relevant procedures and analytical methods, and the representatives certified the shipments in accordance with the Chinese authorities' import requirements.

The data on the export samples and the investigations by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency support Canada's position that these pests were not present in the Canadian canola shipments. Our inspection system remains robust, and we will continue to stand up for the Canadian canola industry. We are looking to find a science-based solution as quickly as possible. Close collaboration and ongoing dialogue are absolutely essential to moving this issue forward.

A few weeks ago, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and the Minister of International Trade Diversification went to Saskatchewan to meet with their provincial counterparts and farm leaders. We set up a working group including the Canola Council of Canada, the Canadian Canola Growers Association, Richardson International, Viterra, and representatives from the federal government and the Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan governments.

The group will ensure that a collaborative and coordinated approach is taken to resolve the matter. Meanwhile, it will be looking at other potential markets for the short and medium terms. We continue to diversify our trade on the global market to give our farmers greater access to more markets for their canola, and to help them mitigate the risks associated with the closure of the Chinese market.

Last year, Canada's agriculture and food trade hit a new record of $66.2 billion. A record part of that sum came from markets other than our traditional trading partners.

Diversifying our trade relationships is vitally important and Canada has a strategy for that.

Under the Canadian agricultural partnership, we are investing almost $300 million over five years to help the industry grow trade and expand market access.

In the past 18 months, we have signed two trade agreements with some of our top markets in the world: the European Union; and the countries party to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, the CPTPP. The latter is already showing some encouraging signs of success.

For example, Canadian beef exports to Japan doubled in the first two months of 2019. Our pork exports increased by 14%. We expect these numbers to go up as a growing number of Canadian exporters take advantage of the market opportunities provided by the CPTPP.

Under the CPTPP, when tariffs are fully eliminated in Japan and Vietnam, the industry expects exports of Canadian canola oil and meal could increase by up to $780 million per year. We are optimistic about the enormous potential that this agreement has to offer.

As well, the Canada-United States-Mexico agreement will secure our $31-billion trade in agriculture and agri-food products with the United States and Mexico, including almost $5 billion in canola alone.

Thanks to all our trade agreements, Canada's canola producers will benefit from a competitive advantage in two-thirds of the world's markets. The Conservatives had 10 years to take action, but they never managed to make real progress. We are also continuing our efforts to further diversify our canola markets.

The Minister of International Trade Diversification will soon be leaving on a trade mission to Japan and South Korea to promote our canola, and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food will be attending the G20 agriculture ministers' meeting next week in Japan.

We stand firmly behind our canola producers at every opportunity. We also know that they are increasingly concerned about such issues as planting, storage and prices. As producers know, the government has two programs to help them manage risks and cash flow, and these were the subject of two announcements made today.

Canada's canola industry has ambitious plans for growth and innovation, which we actively support. The industry continues to develop new varieties of canola. The quality will be even better and the environmental footprint smaller. We are helping stimulate innovation in Canada's canola industry with a federal investment of $12 million in a canola research cluster.

Together with investments by canola producers themselves, the total investment will exceed $20 million.

Canada's canola industry has tremendous potential. To achieve that potential, we need to resolve trade disputes with China by fighting tooth and nail for our farmers. We will not stop fighting until the situation is resolved.

The opposition latched on to this issue just this week, but our government has been working very hard to take concrete steps. The government is collaborating with working groups and taking steps to diversify our markets. This issue continues to be a priority.

From the start, we have worked hand in hand with the industry and our provincial partners to find practical concrete solutions that will help our farmers now. We will do everything we can to resolve this trade dispute. Now that the members opposite have suddenly decided to take an interest in this issue, we hope we can count on their support in finding a solution.

We stand by canola producers and farm families across the country. We know Canada has the best canola in the world, and we are determined to resolve this issue.

Farmers are having a tough time right now, but we will get through it by having a frank and open dialogue and standing up for Canadian values and interests. There are lives at stake. Canada should take a single, consistent approach to these issues, not use these issues to score political points. We owe it to our farmers and their families.

In closing, I would like to tell the House what the Premier of Saskatchewan, Scott Moe, said this morning. He said that he appreciates the effort made by the federal government, which shows that it supports agriculture in western Canada and across the country. He also appreciates the fact that the government has moved forward with a plan for supporting these farmers as they go into spring seeding.

Opposition Motion—International TradeBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

4:25 p.m.

Conservative

John Barlow Conservative Foothills, AB

Madam Speaker, my colleague knows full well that when former prime minister Stephen Harper came into government, we had free trade agreements with four different countries. When he left, it was more than 50. We know which government stood up for free trade agreements around the world and certainly stood up for Canadian producers.

I want to question my colleague on his stance on the expansion of the advance payment program. This program will only work if the other issues are addressed, including reopening that Chinese market.

More than 40% of the 90% of our canola seed that we export goes to China. There is not another market in the world that can carry the displaced market we are losing from China, not Japan, not South Korea and not India.

Taking this advance payment program would put our farmers and our producers in debt. They will have to repay that debt within the next year. If we are unable to get access to that Chinese market, how does my colleague expect our farmers and producers to repay that debt?

Opposition Motion—International TradeBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

4:25 p.m.

Liberal

Jean-Claude Poissant Liberal La Prairie, QC

Madam Speaker, as I said earlier, we put this program in place to help farmers who are starting to seed. We will keep working to open the markets quickly.

I want the House to know that the Government of Canada's priority is to restore full access to the Chinese market for our canola seed exports. We are still committed to resolving this issue, including through ongoing technical discussions. At present, these discussions are taking place via video conference, but we are ready to send our technical experts to China at the earliest appropriate time.

We continue to work with the provinces to help our farmers with programs that will support them through this situation.

Opposition Motion—International TradeBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

4:25 p.m.

NDP

Anne Minh-Thu Quach NDP Salaberry—Suroît, QC

Madam Speaker, it is rather difficult to believe in the Liberals' competence right now. The parliamentary secretary boasted about having 40 years of experience in agriculture. However, the Liberals just signed agreements that gave away 10% of our dairy farmers' market share. What is more, the Liberals have still not begun to compensate these farmers, who are anxiously awaiting that compensation, since it equates to 30 days of pay to date.

The Liberals have also failed to do anything on the diafiltered milk file. The canola issue is a diplomatic crisis, but the government is trying to find a scientific solution. There has not been a Canadian ambassador in China for three months. The Liberals are dragging their feet on every agricultural file.

Why are they waiting so long to compensate those who need it and to find a diplomatic, rather than scientific, solution to this diplomatic crisis?

Opposition Motion—International TradeBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

4:30 p.m.

Liberal

Jean-Claude Poissant Liberal La Prairie, QC

Madam Speaker, I am wondering whether that question was about canola or about the recently signed trade agreements, since the member is talking about dairy farmers.

We understand the concerns of Canadian canola farmers and their families. Our priority is to regain full access to the Chinese market for our canola seed exports, while supporting our farmers.

We are looking at all possible scientific solutions. Canada believes that open, predictable, rules-based trade is the only way global trade can succeed in a way that benefits all citizens. We are maintaining our robust, world-class inspection system, and we will not give up until this situation is resolved.

Opposition Motion—International TradeBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

4:30 p.m.

Conservative

Randy Hoback Conservative Prince Albert, SK

Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his speech. At least there is a Liberal here who actually will talk about canola. It seems like the Liberals have been blocking it for the last six weeks.

The member talks about all the things the Liberals have been doing or are going to do. However, if they do not reopen this market, it is really useless. He talks about the trade delegations going to Japan and South Korea. I am going to check and see how much crush capacity is in Japan and South Korea, because canola is not served in a salt shaker. It needs to be processed. When it is shipped to Japan, it has to have crush capacity to turn it into oil and meal.

The Liberals think they can appease the Canadian population by saying they are doing something, but they are doing nothing. We have to reopen the market to China. What is the game plan to do that? Do you have a game plan? When is the minister going there? When will the Prime Minister pick up the phone and call the leader of China or even call the ambassador of China in Canada? Why have the Liberals not done that? This is crazy.

Opposition Motion—International TradeBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

4:30 p.m.

NDP

The Assistant Deputy Speaker NDP Carol Hughes

I want to remind the member that he is to address his questions and comments to the Chair, not the individual member. He did at one point address him directly.

The hon. parliamentary secretary.

Opposition Motion—International TradeBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

4:30 p.m.

Liberal

Jean-Claude Poissant Liberal La Prairie, QC

Madam Speaker, as I said in my speech, a working group has been set up. It includes representatives from the canola producing sector, provincial governments and our government.

Restoring full access to the Chinese market for our exports is a priority for the Canadian government. At present, discussions are taking place via teleconferencing, but we are ready to—

Opposition Motion—International TradeBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

4:30 p.m.

An hon. member

Oh, oh!

Opposition Motion—International TradeBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

4:30 p.m.

NDP

The Assistant Deputy Speaker NDP Carol Hughes

I want to remind the member for Prince Albert that he had the opportunity to ask a question and comment. If he wishes to add something, he may want to try to see if he can be recognized again when it is time.

The hon. parliamentary secretary.

Opposition Motion—International TradeBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

4:30 p.m.

Liberal

Jean-Claude Poissant Liberal La Prairie, QC

Madam Speaker, as I was saying, so far, discussions have been taking place via teleconferencing, but we are ready to send our technical experts to China at the earliest appropriate time.

Opposition Motion—International TradeBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

4:30 p.m.

Winnipeg North Manitoba

Liberal

Kevin Lamoureux LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

Madam Speaker, I want to re-emphasize that virtually from day, this government has been working shoulder to shoulder with the canola producers and other stakeholders—

Opposition Motion—International TradeBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

4:30 p.m.

Conservative

Randy Hoback Conservative Prince Albert, SK

You blocked an emergency debate. You're responsible for not seeing it in the House.

Opposition Motion—International TradeBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

4:30 p.m.

NDP

The Assistant Deputy Speaker NDP Carol Hughes

I would remind the member for Prince Alberta one more time that it is not his turn to speak at this point. Therefore, I would ask him to hold off on his questions and comments.

The hon. parliamentary secretary.

Opposition Motion—International TradeBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

4:30 p.m.

Liberal

Kevin Lamoureux Liberal Winnipeg North, MB

Madam Speaker, as I was saying, virtually from day one, this government, the Prime Minister and the Minister of Agriculture have been working shoulder to shoulder with Canadian canola producers and the various stakeholders, including the various provincial entities and other groups with a vested interest, to try to deliver something that is tangible. That has happened today, and it has been received exceptionally well in all corners.

We are doing more than that. We have brought forward the trade delegation, about which the parliamentary secretary talked. We have also looked at alternative ways to continue to expand the canola market. We have seen great success stories from our cattle and pork industries with respect to their expansion.

Would my colleague not agree that to a notable degree, this government has made canola a priority virtually from day one, which is more than can be said about the official opposition?

Opposition Motion—International TradeBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

4:35 p.m.

Liberal

Jean-Claude Poissant Liberal La Prairie, QC

Madam Speaker, indeed, we have been working on this file since day one. It is important to remember that we have managed to maintain agreements that are working very well. Consider, for example, the seafood that we continue to send to Shanghai every day. Maple syrup also keeps going to China every day. While trying to reopen those markets, we continue to protect the markets we have at this time.

Opposition Motion—International TradeBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

4:35 p.m.

Conservative

Martin Shields Conservative Bow River, AB

Madam Speaker, it is interesting that Liberals say the Conservatives have not been involved. I remember many times when the Conservatives stood to request an emergency debate on this. They were shut down procedurally. We have been involved in trying to do this for a long time.

With respect to what needs to be done, I note there is no more storage space in the canola bins on our farms. The Liberals are basically telling farmers that they need to pay for more bins to store something that needs to be moved now, and should have been moved a month ago. Farmers have had to make decisions recently.

How can the member say the Liberals are helping now?

Opposition Motion—International TradeBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

4:35 p.m.

Liberal

Jean-Claude Poissant Liberal La Prairie, QC

Madam Speaker, our government continues to focus on trade. It has set an ambitious goal of increasing the export value of agri-foods to $75 billion by 2025. In 2018, Canada exported over $11 billion in canola products to more than 50 markets. We know that access to new markets for our high-quality Canadian canola means more money for our farmers and creates good jobs for Canadian farm families and middle-class families.

Opposition Motion—International TradeBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

4:35 p.m.

NDP

The Assistant Deputy Speaker NDP Carol Hughes

Before I recognize the next speaker, I would like to take a couple of seconds to wish my husband a happy 37th wedding anniversary. It is the least I can do, since I cannot be with him today. I know hon. members fully understand what this is all about.

Order. It is my duty pursuant to Standing Order 38 to inform the House that the questions to be raised tonight at the time of adjournment are as follows: the hon. member for Windsor West, Automotive Industry; the hon. member for Regina—Lewvan, Natural Resources; the hon. member for Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île d'Orléans—Charlevoix, Social Development.

Resuming debate, the hon. member for Essex.

Opposition Motion—International TradeBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

4:35 p.m.

NDP

Tracey Ramsey NDP Essex, ON

Madam Speaker, I will take a quick moment out of my time to congratulate you and your husband on 37 years of marriage. All of the partners of members of Parliament who serve along with us certainly play a big role. To my own husband, Germaine, I also say thank you for that.

I will be splitting my time with the member for Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques today to speak about the opposition motion.

Before I do that, though, I want to set the record straight a little. We have heard from the Liberals today about the opposition parties not bringing this forward at any other time. I would like to say that the NDP attempted to bring this before the agriculture committee as a very important issue and could not achieve that.

As vice-chair of the international trade committee, I was a participant in calling for an emergency meeting. We were able to achieve that, but we had only two meetings. In this Liberal-majority committee, we were only able to secure two meetings on canola. As members can see, there is no report before the House. The Liberals are speaking about the importance of this issue, but that certainly was not reflected at committee by the Liberal members who sit there, so I would like to set the record straight.

I would like to start with some facts about the canola industry, because it is important that we understand what is at risk here, and there is a great deal at risk.

The canola sector contributes $26.7 billion toward our overall GDP, much of it through exports. The total value of canola exports in 2017 was $11.4 billion. Canada shipped $1.7 billion worth of soybeans to China in 2018, $2.7 billion worth of canola; and $514 million worth of pork.

There is a lot at stake in our relationship with China, and recently we have heard from the Chinese that they are looking at other commodities to impact. The fact that today there was some badly needed movement on the canola file does not insulate and protect us from what could be coming forward, unfortunately, in this very bad trade relationship in which we currently find ourselves.

Bank of Canada Governor Stephen Poloz was quoted as saying that the global trade war was “the biggest threat” to the Canadian economy. We need to take this issue seriously.

This could be the beginning of a very difficult trade period for our agricultural communities. There are 250,000 Canadian jobs related to canola. A lot of folks across our country rely on canola for their livelihood, not just farm families but everyone involved in the production down the line. The value of farm cash receipts for canola was $9.9 billion in 2017. That makes canola Canada's top agricultural commodity. Canola is a homegrown Canadian success story and a major driver of our agricultural exports.

At the committee, we heard from farmers who are very concerned. Currently they have the seed on their farms and they are ready to go for this year, but they find themselves in a financial position where they cannot back away. Quite frankly, canola has been quite good to these farmers and their families and the communities where they live. When they are rotating crops, it has become a necessity for them to use this to be able to make money to sustain themselves.

It is very important that we work hard to get out of this precarious position that we are in. Canola producers should not be paying the price for the Liberals' icy relationship with China. Our farmers need a government that will stand up to China.

New Democrats will be supporting the motion before us today because we recognize the importance of canola farm families and the canola producers in our country and the importance across our entire country of canola as a very critical export.

Currently we are going to other countries, but China is certainly the number one destination for our canola. We heard from farmers at the committee that they have enjoyed a good relationship with China. They have never had any of these issues come forward in the past. They have been able to send canola, and our canola is quite highly sought after, as members can imagine, in China. This issue does not stem out of their relationship with their trading partners there; they are being caught up in a diplomatic problem that the Liberals currently have with the Chinese government.

The decision to stop accepting or to delay shipment Canadian canola is very concerning and completely unjustifiable. Hard-working Canadian canola producers in our canola industry are in a crisis. It is essential that these people do not suffer from these current diplomatic problems between Canada and China.

I want to talk a little about what has happened here, but also about the decision being completely unjustifiable.

If we ask canola farmers, those in canola communities, or average Canadians why we currently find ourselves in this situation, they understand—because certainly this issue has been across the national new recently—that these actions are about a tit-for-tat and that we cannot just stand by and let this situation threaten Canadian jobs. Canola producers should not be the ones who are paying the price for the Liberals' inability to fix their dispute with China.

We know that part of this motion today relates to not having an ambassador to China. We actually have no one at the diplomatic level who can have those conversations with China. We have no one in China right now who is representing us in an ambassadorial role. The Liberals will say that we do have folks over there, but this is the way that our diplomatic system works. It is an ambassador who would be the key person to talk through this dispute. With the lack of that person, the Liberals are not taking this issue seriously enough. As I have said, we rely on other commodities being exported, but those commodities are already being threatened. What are the Liberals waiting for? When it comes to appointing an ambassador, the time is now.

New Democrats do not agree with Canada's membership in the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank or any efforts that results in the privatization of public infrastructure, whether here or abroad. We know that the Conservatives supported our participation in the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank. At the time, New Democrats raised the alarm and said that we should not be a part of it. Now that we find ourselves in this trade dispute, the Conservatives are coming on board with the NDP to say that we cannot be a part of a bank that is funding private infrastructure for China when we are suffering under China's unfair attack on our canola sector, so we are pleased that the Conservatives are calling for this along with New Democrats.

I will talk about today's announcement.

We certainly saw the limit increased beyond the previous $400,000. This is something that farmers have asked for, but this alone is not enough, because these farmers, once they plant and harvest, are going to be looking for a market for their canola. If they cannot find a market for that canola, then that canola will sit, and it is a perishable item. It cannot just sit on farms indefinitely. This is a cyclical problem, and it is not ending with this announcement today. It is a beginning and it is part of what needs to happen, and I know that the canola farmers will be pleased to see this step by the government, but that alone will not resolve this very serious issue that we find ourselves involved in.

As New Democrats, we also strongly believe that the Liberals need to file a complaint with the World Trade Organization. Why is the Liberal government so afraid to launch complaints? No one else is afraid to launch complaints against Canada at the WTO. The U.S., other countries and all kinds of people are launching complaint after complaint at us. Why is it that we are so timid in that space?

We just had the steel producers asking for safeguards, which the Liberals failed to do. They let down steel producers and steelworkers in this country. Why? It is because they do not have the courage to challenge them. We are being challenged on trade at every single turn, and no matter how many agreements we sign, that is not going to stop the fact that we are going to continue to be challenged, because we have painted a big target on ourselves. We have said that we are nice. Canadians are nice, and we play by the rules. Other countries are not playing by the rules, and they are not being nice to Canada. What do we do? No, we are not going to launch a complaint. Why? We still do not have an answer as to why we have not launched a WTO complaint right now on the canola issue.

Yes, there is a working group, but the working group, I believe, will result in asking the government to launch a complaint. We have no choice. Across the globe we see that trade is being challenged in every single country. It is time for Canada to stand on its own two feet and show the courage that is necessary to protect the industries at home—farmers, in this case—who need our help.

We are initially talking about two major Canadian grain companies, Richardson International and Glencore, which was Canada's Viterra. Their export licences, of course, were revoked, but this is just the beginning of what could end up hitting our pork and soybean industries. It is very important, and the Liberal government must consider a wide range of options to restore this market access.

We are not going to be able to get canola into other countries fast enough by the end of this harvest season. It is time for us to stand up for canola producers and truly look at every single one of the steps that we have: appoint an ambassador, talk about getting out of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and do everything we can to support agricultural canola farmers in Canada.

Opposition Motion—International TradeBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

4:45 p.m.

Conservative

Colin Carrie Conservative Oshawa, ON

Madam Speaker, my colleague from Essex points out some extremely important things about this debate. It is a non-partisan debate. This is about Canadians on the ground who are losing, in many cases, their entire livelihoods. I think all of us here are ashamed at the weak response of the Prime Minister and the Liberal government.

The Prime Minister stated before the election that he admired the basic dictatorship of China. This seems to be holding him back from any action. We have been asking for an emergency debate every day for the last several weeks. The Liberals keep blocking it by moving to the orders of the day. Finally, we get this debate and we only get one hour to debate this important issue. That is just shameful.

How dangerous is this weak, dithering approach by the Prime Minister to the future of Canadian trade? When does the member think the government will actually take action?