Debates of June 16th, 2022

Global Food Insecurity

[Damien Kurek, Conservative, Battle River—Crowfoot, AB]

Madam Chair, I likewise have found this debate very valuable here this evening.

There is a unique situation in Ukraine. There is a lot of grain and other agricultural commodities that are there but cannot get out. Some of the neighbouring countries to Ukraine still have a certain level of access to some of those commodities, but there has to be, I would suggest, a significant global effort to make sure that we can engage the global logistics supply chain to ensure that the wheat can get to market.

There are a huge number of other challenges, but specifically when it comes to the logistics to help get that wheat to market, I wonder if the parliamentary secretary has any suggestions as to how Canada can help in that process.

[Mark Gerretsen, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

Madam Chair, as I said, I am learning quite a bit about this tonight in this debate. I will be the first to admit that this is not my field of expertise, but I will say that I have heard both the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and I believe a Conservative member earlier speak to Canada's expertise as it relates to the logistics of moving wheat. Canada can play a huge role in that.

I do not personally know exactly what those solutions are, but again, if this is another way that Canada can be an exporter of our incredible understanding and capabilities when it comes to the logistics around this, then we should play a role in that, not just from a humanitarian perspective, but indeed from a global security perspective. Not only is it a problem that Ukraine cannot move the wheat right now, but now it is starting to talk about problems with respect to getting the seed in the ground for next year.

I would agree with the member for Battle River—Crowfoot that we need to work quickly to help address these problems with Ukraine so that this does not become a problem that will occur again next year.

[Julie Vignola, Bloc, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

Madam Chair, what I am hearing is that there are huge needs and that Canada is making an effort to respond.

I am thinking about the future, however, because we also need to look ahead. Traditional or ancestral grains are often turned down on the global market because people prefer wheat, rye or barley.

Would diversity not be a good thing, and would it not be good to encourage diversity in areas struggling with food insecurity?

[Mark Gerretsen, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

Madam Chair, now we are really getting out of my field of expertise. I certainly would not want to be weighing in on the appropriate grains that should be moving throughout the global market.

I am more than willing to accept that it is a valid question and that perhaps there is an opportunity for Canada to play a role and be a contributor to that. The member might have a very good point. I personally do not know the answer to it, but I would love to hear the answer to it.

[Brian Masse, NDP, Windsor West, ON]

Madam Chair, the parliamentary secretary made a good point with regard to the vulnerability of other nation-states. Let us take Lebanon as one example. We already know it is tested with regard to the political crisis that it faces. There have been humanitarian issues as well. We know there is going to be vulnerability for regular shipments, even if there is some normalization in the future.

What would the member suggest we can do for a state like Lebanon, which we have identified is extremely vulnerable right now? What is this country willing to do to increase its stability knowing that this is a real vulnerability to public safety, food security and the nation-state itself?

[Mark Gerretsen, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

Madam Chair, this goes back a bit to the question from the member for Battle River—Crowfoot, which is if Canada has expertise with respect to assisting Ukraine with the logistical movement of wheat so it can get to countries such as Lebanon much more efficiently, quickly and reliably.

The reality is that when global markets are so interconnected, the slightest little changes can throw a huge wrench into the operation. For a country such as Ukraine, which is the fifth-largest producer of wheat in the global supply, that really becomes problematic in terms of when that starts to be disrupted.

[Richard Lehoux, Conservative, Beauce, QC]

Madam Chair, I will be sharing my time with my hon. colleague from Battle River—Crowfoot.

I rise to participate in this take-note debate on global food security, which was sponsored by my friend and colleague, the member for Foothills. As a member of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food, I have had the opportunity to hear from many stakeholders from around the world about the topic we are discussing this evening.

What stood out to me the most was that all of the witnesses projected the same unfortunate reality that the world is at risk of famine in the coming months. Some people may be wondering what Canada can do about this. Let us be clear. Canada should be a global leader in producing and exporting food and easing any global food shortages. However, our country is struggling to get many of its products out to the global market.

Whether because of failed trade agreements, lack of processing capacity or even the labour shortage, our country is behind where it should be. It should be one of the world's food production powerhouses. Today's debate seeks to shed light on the problem, which begins of course with the war in Ukraine, but also with many other global tragedies.

Let us be honest: The government is contributing to the failures we are seeing today. Many of the problems we are seeing have been amplified by the current government. I would like to begin by discussing one of the problems that, in my opinion, strongly affects farmers, in other words the tariffs that Canada has imposed on Russian fertilizer. This financial burden is being borne by farmers and, once again, no relief has been provided to them. Worse, Canada is the only G7 country to impose such a tariff on Russian fertilizer, and it is our Canadian farmers who are paying the price and being punished.

We have proposed solutions. We asked the Liberal government to grant an exemption from the surcharge for fertilizer purchased before March 2, before Russia invaded Ukraine. The Liberals said no. We then asked them if they would compensate the farmers who have had to pay an exorbitant price for these tariffs. Again, the Liberals said no.

At a time when the world is facing an imminent threat of food insecurity, we are asking Canadian farmers to produce more. However, they are dealing with other policies that could limit their production, such as reducing fertilizer use and gas taxes.

The cost of inputs, such as crop protection products and fertilizers, recently increased dramatically, further reducing our farmers' already razor-thin margins. Ultimately, farmers are price takers and cannot recoup additional costs, unlike many other businesses. These crop inputs are some of the highest expenses for grain growers. They are used as efficiently as possible, but their use should not be limited by a government policy.

Canada can be part of the solution, but crops do not grow overnight. We therefore need to ensure that our farmers have the means to increase yields and production to help meet global food shortages.

The Conservatives have also proposed other solutions, such as Bill C-234. The problem could be fixed by exempting fuel for farms, lifting tariffs on fertilizer, cutting red tape, and ensuring reliable and accessible shipping and access to labour.

Many things are beyond our control, whether it is the weather or the geopolitical ramifications, but there is much the government can do and must do immediately to ensure that our farmers are equipped to help feed the world.

In conclusion, through the Chair, I would like to address the NDP-Liberal government and say that Canada must do better. We need a plan, a concrete plan, that will provide solutions for the short, medium and long terms to help not only feed the world, but to feed us Canadians.

Tough times lie ahead, and we need a leader who will bring Canadians together, finally cut through the red tape and make the decisions necessary for our country to prosper.

[Yves Perron, Bloc, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Madam Chair, I sometimes have the pleasure of working with my hon. colleague from Beauce, and I thank him for his comments. Once again, we agree on the broad strokes, with several nuances. Protecting our agriculture without harming it is what matters most. Above all, we must protect the sectors that are working well.

I will repeat my question from earlier, and I expect a positive answer. Does my colleague believe that our supply management system, which works extremely well but has been undermined by the latest trade agreements, should be protected in the future?

[Richard Lehoux, Conservative, Beauce, QC]

Madam Chair, members will know that I will always agree with protecting supply management because the pandemic proved how important this system is. I believe that all my Conservative Party colleagues also support the supply management system.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Madam Chair, what is really concerning is that we are dealing with an unprecedented situation where hunger and famine are being used as tools of war. It is really important for Parliament to be looking beyond our own backyard and how we might benefit.

I have lots of farmers in my region who could help, but we are dealing with a much larger international crisis, with Russian disinformation and war crimes. I am asking my colleagues about their willingness to put a larger frame on this. How are we going to deal with this in an age of destabilization, with the failure of globalization and the fact that the modern norms we have trusted in the international community are not helping us deal with a war criminal like Putin?

We need to have a broader, bigger picture. I am asking my colleague if can he articulate where he sees this going in an age of growing instability.

[Richard Lehoux, Conservative, Beauce, QC]

Madam Chair, I think that with what is happening to us right now and what is happening around the world, we all need to brainstorm together. That is why, in my conclusion, I asked for a plan for the short, medium and long terms for the development of our agriculture. I think that our country has to be self-sufficient in terms of feeding ourselves. I also think that if Canada is capable of producing more, then it is capable of sharing with the entire world and the people who need it the most, while helping them adopt these same farming practices.

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

Madam Chair, I want to echo the comments of my Bloc colleague. I too enjoy working with the member for Beauce and I want to acknowledge that his mastery of the English language is surpassing my mastery of his mother tongue.

This past week, a number of us met with representatives from the Atlantic Grains Council, Quebec grain growers and Ontario grain growers. They supplied us with a lot of information. Some of that information basically acknowledges that grain markets for corn, wheat and soybeans are up over 200%.

Given the cost of inputs, which we have talked about today, particularly fertilizer, I am going to cite a few statistics. Anhydrous ammonia is up 504%. Those of us who use it know what it means. These quotes are since June 1, 2000. UAN 28% is up 439%. Diammonium phosphate, DAP for short, is up 304%. Urea is up 297%. These are costs of fertilizer inputs, on top of the carbon tax on our fuel being up and crop protection products being up. This inflation in the cost of food is driving farm input costs. Our futures markets for grain, which are predicting the future cost of food, are also up.

Is this not one of the driving forces that many parts of the world are experiencing in their food insecurity as the cost of food rises?

[Richard Lehoux, Conservative, Beauce, QC]

Madam Chair, I really appreciate the work that my colleague does with me at the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri‑Food.

Indeed, we have been hearing for weeks that prices have skyrocketed internationally. Canada should at least be able to avoid being outmatched by overtaxing itself.

I think it is deplorable that Canada is currently the only G7 country imposing this surcharge on fertilizers. We know that the Americans are buying fertilizer elsewhere and have little concern for this surcharge.

[Damien Kurek, Conservative, Battle River—Crowfoot, AB]

Madam Chair, as always, it is an honour to be able to enter into debate in this place, and it takes particular relevance as we address such significant issues as global food insecurity and the role that Canada can play in solving some of these world problems.

I would like to start by sharing a few very startling facts for those who might be watching this debate. There are 181 million people globally who are at a crisis point, in terms of being food-insecure. These are people who are going hungry.

In 2021, we learned that food insecurity increased globally by 20%. In 2021, there was a 20% increase.

People are dying from food insecurity at a rate of more than one person every minute. That certainly is a number that should shock everyone who sees this.

Further to that, there are effects of this at home, in terms of the fact that Canadians are going hungry. There are some recent reports out that suggest that a growing number, up to a quarter of Canadians, cannot afford to buy food and are facing a level of food insecurity here at home.

In a very short period of time, I hope to be able to address a number of the challenges and aspects of what needs to be done. I would start by first acknowledging, as I have asked a number of questions, that food security and energy security are very tightly linked. It is absolutely essential. I know that there are some who would suggest that we can simply have this magical transition away from things like traditional oil and gas. The reality is that if we are not very careful, that will increase food insecurity at what could be an exponential rate. A very clear example, for all of the farmers who I represent and for me, being a fifth-generation farmer on our family farm, is granular fertilizer. It is made from natural gas. Energy and food security both are so tightly linked, and that has to be acknowledged in this debate.

My second point is this: we have to allow Canadians to lead, to innovate and to be able to afford to lead the world in solutions that can address issues such as increasing yields here at home and ensuring that our technology, our strategies and our practices can be exported around the world.

I would note, as my third point, the diversion of food commodities into energy. There is a troubling trend there. There is the reality that foodstuffs like wheat, corn and canola are being diverted into things like biofuels and ethanol. We have to be very aware that this could lead to individuals going hungry.

Number four concerns global supply chains. We have to acknowledge the reality of global supply chains, and the role that Canada can and should play in ensuring that we have strong global supply chains. That includes things such as having strong trading relationships, protecting supply chains, such as in the Black Sea, for example, and being able to get Ukrainian goods to market. There is wheat in Ukraine, as I have mentioned before, but it has to be able to get to market.

Five, we have to address the geopolitical reality that exists in the world and stand up to Putin and the Russian regime and the aggression that they have taken, and also address the fact that there are a whole host of geopolitical realities we are facing that are contributing to concerns surrounding global food security.

I would note that there are some issues that can be very clearly addressed. A Liberal member recently introduced a bill to ban glyphosate. It is absurd. I certainly look forward to talking more extensively about that.

We have heard members of my party talk about the carbon tax, fertilizer reduction mandates, the cost of fertilizer and the tariffs on pre-March 2 purchases, and costs in general.

My father told me here today that he filled up our Peterbilt, which is a B-train. It cost more than $1,500 after a day of work.

The fact is that we have solutions to many of the challenges that we face in terms of a higher-yield, drought-resistant crop, including incredible science in the sense of gene editing—

[The Assistant Deputy Chair, Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

We will have to continue with questions and comments, beginning with questions and comments from the hon. member for Berthier—Maskinongé.

[Yves Perron, Bloc, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Madam Chair, I thank my colleague for his speech. I generally appreciate substantive ideas. That is more or less the case every time with my Conservative colleagues.

I would like my colleague to tell us about the rational use of pesticides or fertilizers because he gave a specific example.

I believe that we should not go overboard, but should use the right product at the right time, in the right place and especially at the right rate. We must use them in a measured way.

No doubt I got the wrong impression from his speech, but it sometimes seems like there is a lack of nuance. I would really like my colleague to clarify his ideas on that subject. I think that I have a good understanding of the four Rs.

[Damien Kurek, Conservative, Battle River—Crowfoot, AB]

Madam Chair, I am happy to address that. Let us trust those professionals who understand the products, the techniques and the practices that allow Canadians and Canadian farmers to produce the best-quality products in the world.

When it comes to things like glyphosate, let us not get into what it replaced. For so many of the challenges when it comes to some of the very misleading headlines about glyphosate in some food products, the solution is really simple, and it is best practices. We do not need the heavy hand of government, especially when it comes from uninformed activists, telling farmers what they should or should not do when they are already the best in the world at growing the crops that the world needs more of right now.

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Madam Chair, the member is from Alberta, as I am. Of course, we have an enormous population of Ukrainians who settled in the prairies and helped build our province. I think we are all very thankful for, and proud of, the contributions that Ukrainian Canadians have made to our country, and I wonder if the member is hearing from his Ukrainian constituents about how we should be providing more support to Ukraine and whether we are doing enough.

I just heard from the Ukrainian Canadian Congress that Canada is 17th in contributions to Ukraine at a time when we know that there are more Ukrainians in Canada than anywhere else in the world outside of Ukraine. I wonder what the member has heard from his constituents. I wonder if he would like to see us contribute more, and if he believes that a larger proportion of ODA spent on humanitarian aid would be useful for Ukraine at this time.

[Damien Kurek, Conservative, Battle River—Crowfoot, AB]

Madam Chair, I am proud to represent many individuals, families and communities of Ukrainian descent, and I have been absolutely proud to attend things like fundraisers and whatnot to assist with the effort, whether it is resettling refugees or supporting, in every way possible, the people of Ukraine.

There is a lot that needs to be done, such as food aid; ensuring that Ukraine has the required military support; ensuring that there is energy security; ensuring logistical support so that the crop that was harvested last year, much of which still remains in Ukraine today, can actually get to market; ensuring that we are working with partners in the region, like Romania, to get the crop out of the Constanța port; ensuring that we do everything we can in the Black Sea and other areas to get their products to market; and as well ensuring that we are there to give support when it comes to the challenges of what will be, according to the information we are getting, a very challenging year, with many crops not having the chance to be seeded.

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Madam Chair, I totally agree that the climate crisis and the food crisis are connected, but not in the way that I think my friend believes.

The more we ignore the urgency of the climate crisis and the more we perpetuate some role in our future for the use of fossil fuels, the more we exacerbate a growing climate crisis that drives increasing drought. It means that the U.S. prairies and Canadian prairies will face drought. South Saharan Africa will face drought. This drives more food insecurity and drives more geopolitical instability, which drives more migration.

We have to find solutions that work for all the crises we face and drive for solutions that work for them all at once. We cannot pick one over the other.

[Damien Kurek, Conservative, Battle River—Crowfoot, AB]

Madam Chair, I am proud that Canadian agriculture will be part of the solution, including to the many environmental challenges we face. I am proud to be involved in a family farm in a region of the world called the Palliser Triangle. It was about a hundred years ago that they said it was not deemed fit for human habitation, yet many farmers are able to successfully farm there today and have productive farms.

I would simply conclude by saying that I think my dad is watching, so I wish him a happy Father's Day.

[Taleeb Noormohamed, Liberal, Vancouver Granville, BC]

Madam Chair, I will be sharing my time with the member for Saanich—Gulf Islands.

It is an honour to rise in this House on this subject. Many people might be asking why a member of Parliament from Vancouver is speaking about an issue that in many cases is focused on farming and on challenges facing many of our farmers, as we think about global food security and insecurity. It is because food security is not an issue just for rural Canada, but it is for all Canadians.

I want to begin by thanking the member for Battle River—Crowfoot and his family for the work they do in ensuring Canadians have food on their tables. It is an important part of making sure we all appreciate and recognize the efforts that families are making.

In my riding of Vancouver Granville, there are companies like Terramera that are doing innovative work and making it possible for us to do better at using technology to increase agricultural supply and to improve the way in which we grow in an environmentally sustainable way. It is important for us to remember that innovation is a big part of how we are going to be able to get through this together.

However, the reality we face today is that, thanks to Vladimir Putin's illegal war in Ukraine, one of the world's greatest grain suppliers is in crisis. The world is looking to Canada, as we have heard, to step up, and we will.

Our world-class agriculture and agri-food industry is a major driver of food security in over 200 countries around the world. Last year, despite the challenges of the pandemic, our agri-food exports topped $82 billion in 204 countries and territories. We are committed to ensuring farmers have the tools and the supports they need to keep their businesses strong, so they can feed Canadians and the world.

Right now, we all know Canadian farmers are facing higher costs and shortages for their inputs. Whether it is fertilizer or fuel, due to the disruption of supply chains caused by the conflict in Ukraine, farmers are hurting. We know that fertilizer is vital to Canadian farmers to grow their crops and help feed the world. We are working with government and industry partners to ensure that farmers have access to fertilizer for Canada to do its part during this time of global food insecurity.

For starters, we changed the advance payments program, allowing producers to receive 100% of their cash advances immediately when they apply rather than in two instalments. This program will offer farmers low-interest loans to help cover their seeding costs in the spring. We have also extended the deadline for the AgriStability program to help more farmers manage the severe challenges they are facing. This program will help farmers cover significant drops in farm income.

As well as being a leading food producer, Canada is also the world's largest producer and exporter of potash fertilizer. On Monday, our government announced significant support for the new sustainable potash mine to be developed by BHP in Jansen, Saskatchewan. Our support of this innovative project is a long-term investment in global food security and environmental sustainability. We are glad to support these efforts to minimize the carbon footprint of the potash mine and to implement technology to further reduce emissions from mine operations, because this will be the world's greenest potash mine.

Our investment will help to ensure Canada's position as a leading exporter of potash is maintained and will help strengthen food security. The demand for potash will continue to grow due to a need to increase crop yields to feed a growing global population.

To ensure the long-term viability of our agriculture sector, we will keep making record investments to help Canadian farmers build on the great work they are already doing for all of us. We will do whatever it takes to ensure Canadian farmers have access to the resources and tools they need to ensure a stable food supply for Canadians and for the rest of the world.

Throughout the pandemic, we introduced a number of measures to help ensure the supply chain worked as effectively as possible, including support for farmers and food processors to invest in safety protocols to keep their farms and plants running. The COVID-19 crisis reinforced Canada's reputation as a reliable supplier of high-quality agriculture and food products around the world. As a nation that exports much more food than we import, we showed how vital we are in helping our trading partners feed their populations.

To maximize our trade opportunities, we have been working hard to diversify our trade through agreements with key trading partners, including the EU, North America and the countries of the trans-Pacific, with 15 trade agreements covering 51 countries giving Canadian farmers a competitive edge in over 60% of the global economy.

We are going to keep advocating for farmers and advocating free trade that is open and based on rules. We are going to continue to work with the WTO and our G20 partners as well as our North American colleagues to maximize our opportunities under the existing agreement while exploring new alliances.

The best way to strengthen global food security is to support the hard-working men and women who produce our food, and that is exactly what we are going to do.

[Greg McLean, Conservative, Calgary Centre, AB]

Madam Chair, I want to ask my colleague about the potash mine in Saskatchewan. It is an international company that has already committed $7.5 billion to build, but suddenly there is a $100-million little sweetener at the last minute from the federal government. This is for something that should be progressing along those lines anyway. It is a new way of doing business, according to the Minister of Innovation.

Could the member comment on that? Is that not just a bond for the company that the government will not change the rules and the company find it had wasted $7.5 billion going forward?

[Taleeb Noormohamed, Liberal, Vancouver Granville, BC]

Madam Chair, one of the things that it is important for us to do, as a government, is to ensure that we are making investments with partners to ensure that the work that is being done on mines like this one is done in a way that protects the environment and natural resources, and ensures that we are leading when it comes to ensuring that our food security and food stability, and the production of potash, is done in a way that is environmentally sustainable and protects our planet.

That is the way of the future. We cannot do the things we have done in the past. We need to use innovation. We need to make those investments to ensure that companies such as BHP do the work that is required to do things in a sustainable manner to protect our environment and our environmental infrastructure.

[Julie Vignola, Bloc, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

Madam Chair, there are already concerns about the number of countries living with food insecurity or even famine. There are 44 countries at risk, which is 20% of all the countries in the world. That is what is going on right now.

I always wonder why grain is part of the marketplace. I would think it should be a right, but that is all I will say, since I do not want to get scolded by my economist friends on the way out of the House.

We need to be thinking ahead to next year. Farmers who cannot sow this year will not be able to grow grain next year. If there is no grain this year, there will be even less next year, since there will be none at all. This means that next year, more than 20% of the countries in the world might need help. It could be 40%. How do we respond to that?