Debates of June 16th, 2022

Global Food Insecurity

[Kody Blois, Liberal, Kings—Hants, NS]

Mr. Chair, as my hon. colleague from Chatham-Kent—Leamington mentioned, he has ties to Ukraine. We heard him contribute in a very meaningful way on the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food.

I want to ask him a couple of things. He highlighted very precisely what the challenge is in vulnerable countries and the geopolitical dynamic that could come from that, and I applaud that because it is spot on. We heard in Kharkiv, which is where the plant-breeding research station is in Ukraine, was targeted directly by the Russian Federation. We heard from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations that it is going to try to salvage some of the varieties that are there.

I am of the view Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada can work constructively to help rebuild some of the varieties where there might be some common overlap. Does he believe that would be a constructive solution the government can work on, and will he constructively raise that to help push the government to work in that domain?

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

Mr. Chair, yes, I absolutely will. I enjoy the work my hon. colleague and I do together at the agriculture committee.

We need both short-term and long-term responses. There is a call for an immediate cash injection, and I support those efforts. From a longer-term perspective, Canada has expertise. In my time at the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, I often spoke, and it was referenced earlier by the member for Beauport—Limoilou, about the analogy of fishing and giving a person a fish compared to teaching a person how to fish to reduce the need for further fish down the road. The third stool, which is not often talked about, is access to the pond.

I believe the hon. member's question concerns that third component. We need to not only teach and provide Canadian expertise in other parts of the world, but also give access to the pond so they can fish. There is that seed bank of Kharkiv, as well as other efforts. As Canadians, we have to develop the infrastructure in other parts of the world, and that is something that can absolutely be supported.

[Gabriel Ste-Marie, Bloc, Joliette, QC]

Mr. Chair, I would like my colleague to elaborate on those examples and tell us how our own expertise can support and develop production in developing countries that are facing food shortages.

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

Mr. Chair, some things we, in primary agriculture in Canada, take for granted are actually not very well known in other parts of the world. What we consider as second nature for conservation and agriculture, such as crop rotation and keeping the ground covered with residue, are not well known in places such as Ethiopia. It was the first to plow the land, and has been for 7,000 years, so there is a massive culture change required to bring that about.

I will give honours to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, as its curriculum has been adopted by the Ethiopian government, and it is incorporating that into its agriculture because of the draughts it experiences. It is increasing its food production by adopting some things we take for granted. I was in Tanzania and saw some simple things such as scattering corn versus planting it in a row. Things we take for granted are things we can export and teach.

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Chair, prior to being elected, I worked with the Canadian Foodgrains Bank quite a lot, and I think of my colleague as a friend and an ally in this place.

I would be remiss if I did not take this opportunity to wish Jim Cornelius a very happy retirement from the Canadian Foodgrains Bank.

Very quickly, I would ask for the member to share some more of his expertise with us tonight. We know the Canadian Foodgrains Bank has worked in countries around the world. Some of the work it has done in Ethiopia has been extremely strong. I wonder if he could talk a bit more about some of the ways western farmers have worked with farmers in Ethiopia and have provided food to people in Ethiopia.

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

Mr. Chair, next week I will give a member's statement acknowledging Jim Cornelius and his role.

Yes, the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, with a footprint across Canada in the agricultural community, grows food here, sells it into the market and then uses those funds to acquire food. In my remarks, I just touched on how Canada delinked our food aid to the rest of the parts of the world, so we are not destroying local markets when we source food to address food insecure parts of the world. We actually improve their own markets and lead to more sustainability from that perspective.

That is an area in which the Canadian Foodgrains Bank led by lobbying the Canadian government back in 2008 to delink that aid. We are actually leading the world when it comes to that, certainly in our efforts in the Horn of Africa with conservation agriculture. As I said earlier, things Canadian farmers do almost by nature these days are not done by nature in other parts of the world. Certainly, that is another area the Canadian Foodgrains Bank has been a leader.

[Warren Steinley, Conservative, Regina—Lewvan, SK]

Mr. Chair, this is a very important and timely debate that we are joining here this evening on the floor of the House of Commons. It is really talking about food supply and how Canada can be one of the sources to get food to people around the world.

There are five major points I am going to make in my presentation today about what I see as the issues agriculture producers are facing in Canada that are hindering their ability to supply the world with more of the world-class beef, chicken, wheat and commodities and to get things moved from market to market.

The first thing I see as an issue facing our producers coming down the pipe is front-of-package labelling. It is a big concern. We were reached out to by the Canadian Cattlemen's Association and the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association. They interviewed yesterday, and it is something people are getting more concerned about, that the government is going to put warning labels on our beef and pork.

We should have a really serious debate about whether that is something we need to do going forward because our producers have world-class beef and pork, and we do not need to put warning labels on them. It is a conversation that we need to have in the House of Commons to make sure we are supporting our producers. I believe they are doing phenomenal work from an environmental standpoint and from a food quality standpoint, and the government should not be putting a warning label on the front of packages. We would be the only country in the world to put this burdensome policy on our beef and pork producers.

A second issue we talk a lot about in this chamber that is really hurting the food we can produce is the carbon tax. It is ever-increasing for our Canadian producers. In western Canada, when we have these conversations about the carbon tax, we hear these are serious dollars. Now the PBO has come forward and said Canadians are not receiving as much money as they are paying in the carbon tax.

The fuel bill of a friend of mine has gone up $15,000 a week, just in the carbon tax, when he is seeding and harvesting. Obviously that is in the high point, during seeding, but that is how much more money this producer is paying to fuel his equipment, and that is just the tractors. It is not counting other pieces of machinery. That is the second thing that is hindering our producers from being able to feed the world.

The third thing, as the member for Foothills talked about, is the fertilizer tariff. We are asking for the producers to get that money back from before March 2. We are penalizing our producers with the government's policies, which are something it has control of. It can make it better for our producers and easier for them to grow what the world needs.

The fourth thing is the 30% reduction of fertilizer. I have talked to stakeholders across the country, and before this emission reduction was put on fertilizer, Fertilizer Canada, Nutrien and BHP were never reached out to. They were surprised by this 30% reduction target. There were never appropriate conversations with the stakeholders to ensure that they knew this was coming down the pipe. It was a surprise for them. It was a subjective target that came out of nowhere and really shook the people who produce the fertilizer that helps to grow the crops we need to feed the world.

The fifth thing has been touched on by colleagues on all sides. It is not a partisan thing. It is the war in Ukraine. Ukraine is the third-largest producer of wheat in the world, and they are in war zone. Those crops are not going to be planted this year. We are burdening our producers in this country with more red tape and more regulations, which will hinder our yields and our crops.

We are not going to be able to use much fertilizer, and that is something that is going to happen in this country. We are going to grow less produce and have smaller yields because producers are going to use less fertilizer because they simply cannot afford it. They will not be able to afford the increase in the cost of fertilizer, and they cannot support an increase in the carbon tax. When we talk about the global food supply, where we should be a major player in the world, the government is hindering the ability for our producers to step up and do what is needed.

[Kody Blois, Liberal, Kings—Hants, NS]

Mr. Chair, I want to ask the member two questions. I know he is up for it, and I will try to make them very quick.

One is on fertilizer. We have heard the position from the Conservatives for prior to March 2, the idea of trying to indemnify farmers. I agree with that, but there was an opposition day motion just last week that called for the elimination of the 35% tariff from Russian and Belarusian products. I am wondering if he could explain what his or the Conservative position is for after March 2.

The second question is on BHP. The Government of Canada was involved in helping to make a $7.5-billion announcement in the member's home province of Saskatchewan. I had the chance to look at his social media, and I did not see one single mention of that investment. Does he support what the government has done to make that kind of investment with the private sector in his home province to build security on fertilizer right here in Canada?

[Warren Steinley, Conservative, Regina—Lewvan, SK]

Mr. Chair, I would like to congratulate the member for Kings—Hants on his upcoming wedding. That is amazing. He has probably, like most of us, punched above his weight, so hopefully his wife knows what she is getting into.

On his two questions I would say this: First and foremost, we are the only country in the world that has put a tariff on fertilizer. Other G7 countries are creating policies to help their agricultural producers, and we are creating a policy that hinders them.

On the second question, I would say that I am glad the government found out that BHP exists in Saskatchewan. I know it has been a long time since there has been a Liberal out there, but BHP has been talking about going to phase two since I was an MLA in 2011, so I have a great relationship with BHP. We talk all the time. I have been out to that mine, and we have done the tours. I think it is going to do very well this year with where fertilizer and potash prices are right now, so I wish BHP good luck and all the best.

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

Mr. Chair, I thank my colleague for his statement. I respect him and I have had the opportunity to work with him several times.

I agree with several aspects of his speech, with some reservations, which the future groom opposite may share. Generally, he is right in saying that we must protect our sectors that are doing well and help our farmers rather than hinder them.

Speaking of protecting sectors that are doing well, I have one that is very important to me. Last week, the Bloc Québécois introduced Bill C-282 to protect the supply management system, which works extremely well, but has been undermined by recent concessions. Does my colleague believe that we should protect this system for years to come?

[Warren Steinley, Conservative, Regina—Lewvan, SK]

Mr. Chair, my colleague knows that I grew up on a dairy and beef farm, so I have supported the supply management system in the past. I have many good friends in dairy farming still. I was able to go the National Holstein Convention in Saskatoon and reconnect with a few of them. I am proud to say there were a barnful of Conservatives there. They are happy with our policy on supply management, and they know that we will always have their backs.

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Chair, I am going to bring this back to the global food crisis. I know there has been a lot of discussion about farmers in western Canada, but really what we are talking about is the global food crisis.

I want to let the member know that right now we are facing hunger that is generational in scope. There are 181 million people at risk of starving to death. In Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia, one person is dying from hunger every 48 seconds, so this is pretty desperate. I wonder if the member could tell me what he thinks is an appropriate percentage the Canadian government should be spending on food security and support for international development.

[Warren Steinley, Conservative, Regina—Lewvan, SK]

Mr. Chair, I was an MLA in Saskatchewan. The NDP used to be a driving force in Saskatchewan and western Canada, and this is how far it has fallen. It is quite sad for an NDP member to get up to suggest that western Canadian farmers are not the solution to a global food supply crisis, that they are not the solution to help feed more people around the world.

That is why we will always stand up for our western Canadian farmers. The way the member put them down right there is one of the reasons that the New Democrats will probably never win another seat in Saskatchewan, and it is why they are going to have to try to hold on to a couple of seats in Alberta.

[Ryan Turnbull, Liberal, Whitby, ON]

Mr. Chair, I will be sharing my time with the member for Ottawa West—Nepean.

I am exuberant to be here tonight, and I feel the same sense of importance for this debate as my colleague, the MP for Avalon. The date of this debate is particularly timely, given recent events in Ukraine. We all know that Putin's senseless war on Ukraine is having a massive impact on global food insecurity.

The Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food, of which I am a proud member, is currently examining this very issue. I have been actively engaged and learning quite a lot about this issue throughout the study of this important topic.

Last week we heard from Ukraine's Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food, who reported that the current situation in his country poses a very serious threat to global food security. Due to the Russian bombardment, grain exports from Ukrainian ports are down by more than half, and spring sowing acreage is down by 25%. Storage capacity is also reduced, as the Russians target silos as well as farm equipment.

Ukraine is a major exporter of wheat, particularly to more vulnerable nations in Africa and the Middle East, and we all know that it has been called the breadbasket. The minister also recently said that Russia's invasion of Ukraine will create a global wheat shortage for at least three seasons by keeping much of the Ukrainian crop from markets, pushing prices to record levels. According to estimates by the Food and Agriculture Organization, by next year the crisis could increase the number of people experiencing severe hunger by 18.8 million and impact 1.7 billion people across the globe.

Russia has bombed key agricultural infrastructure, stolen Ukrainian grain and agricultural machinery and prevented exports from leaving Ukraine. Significant amounts of Ukraine's best agricultural lands have been occupied and land mines have been planted there, affecting Ukraine's arable land.

Before the invasion, the vast majority of Ukraine's exports left from the port of Odessa on the Black Sea. However, Russia's control of major parts of the coastline and the blockades it has imposed have rendered these routes virtually unusable.

While some of Ukraine's grain is slowly getting to market, Ukraine is facing logistical challenges and backlogs. In fact, it is estimated that 20 million tonnes of wheat are stuck in Ukraine, and there is an urgent need for export ahead of the spring harvest.

Canada is in regular contact with the Government of Ukraine, the EU and G7 allies to support Ukraine in its efforts to export its agricultural commodities. We have received requests from the Government of Ukraine for assistance to help with its export challenges and we are seriously considering options to provide that assistance. Obviously, I hope that we do provide that assistance.

Ukraine has asked Canada for support towards additional grain storage, for lab equipment to help establish labs in reclaimed territories and for urgently needed support in exporting Ukrainian agricultural products. The Ukrainian Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food said that the storage capacity is significantly down, stating that “Given the current low rate of exports, last year's harvest and our harvest forecast, the shortage of storage capacity will reach 10 million to 15 million tonnes by October.”

We understand the urgency of these requests and that this assistance is are needed to support the harvest this fall. Canada is working with Ukrainian officials to determine the specifics of these requests and is coordinating with other countries to determine how those needs can best be met. In the meantime, Canada will continue to assess other requirements for Ukraine's agricultural industry, including the potential for provision of seed and technical and scientific assistance in processing capacity or research support.

We continue to support relief efforts in Ukraine. To date, Canada has provided $245 million to support the humanitarian response to meet urgent needs on the ground in Ukraine and neighbouring countries.

I have much more to say, but it is clear to me that Canada is doing what it can and is considering all options to support Ukraine. Also, I was particularly interested to hear the good news recently that the President of the United States has talked about setting up temporary grain storage along the Polish border, which I think Canada supports.

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

Mr. Chair, I appreciate the speech from the member opposite.

There is one big concern that I hear from constituents, many of whom are very involved in agriculture, not just locally but in global food production. They speak often about how frustrated they are with the government and the barriers that are being put up in terms of the role that Canada can play, both in addressing global food insecurity and in food production here at home. Both are very closely linked by things like the carbon tax and front-of-package labelling. It is ironic that we are having a debate about global food insecurity when the government here in Canada is pushing an agenda that would have devastating effects on the domestic food industry here, and I understand that the member has been a proponent of it.

What is the message that this is sending to the world about the role Canada has to play in global food security?

[Ryan Turnbull, Liberal, Whitby, ON]

Mr. Chair, I appreciate the member's question because it gives me an opportunity to let this House know about my support of front-of-package labelling and why I feel strongly that it is a good policy and good step forward.

Our government spent many years researching it and consulting on this particular policy. The research has shown that it does impact people's eating choices and dietary habits, and many of the costs to our health care system are based on dietary-related disease. In fact, front-of-package labelling better informs consumers and allows them to make better decisions about what they want to consume. It is a good thing to put that decision-making power and information into the hands of consumers so that they can make better dietary-related decisions.

[Gabriel Ste-Marie, Bloc, Joliette, QC]

Mr. Chair, I thank the member for his speech.

My question has come up a lot in this evening's debate.

Farmers from here who bought Russian fertilizer, who placed and paid for their orders before the war, will have to pay a 35% tariff that is supposedly meant to punish the Russian economy. We agree with the general principle of punishing Russia's economy for the invasion, but in this case the Russian economy is not being punished at all because the fertilizer was bought and paid for before the war. This government is imposing a 35% tariff on farmers.

Does my colleague think the government should remove the tariff in this specific case?

[Ryan Turnbull, Liberal, Whitby, ON]

Mr. Chair, I know this topic has come up at the agriculture and agri-food standing committee numerous times.

I do believe the sanctions on Russia are completely justified, but I believe there is an impact on our farmers that is pretty hard for them to take, especially given the pressures they are under. We should be doing something for those farmers to help them, especially for the farmers who pre-purchased those supplies.

Perhaps there is a way we can source fertilizer. I know there has been this announcement about the potash mine, one of the most sustainable mines for potash. I know that is not an immediate solution because it is going to take time, but I do agree that the member has rightly pointed out an important issue.

[Brian Masse, NDP, Windsor West, ON]

Mr. Chair, to follow up on that, previously under the Harper administration, there were some tariff retaliations on the United States with regard to its protectionism, which included milled rice. There is actually only one place in Canada that still does that, and it is the Dainty rice company in my riding. Accidentally, we were going to actually add a tariff on ourselves, and their administration, to its credit, fixed this at the end of the day.

Is there enough political will for the government to do this and fix a glaring problem that is out there with regard to the plan and the dates that are proposed?

[Ryan Turnbull, Liberal, Whitby, ON]

Mr. Chair, I do not know about the specific tariff that the member referenced, but I think he is making an argument analogous to the situation we are experiencing right now with the tariffs on fertilizer related to Russia. From my personal perspective, I think those farmers have been hard hit already. This exacerbates the pressures they are under, and we should be looking at doing something to support them.

[Anita Vandenbeld, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Development]

Mr. Chair, I am very happy that we are having this debate this evening. It could be one of the most important debates that we have in this House.

We know that Russia's unjustifiable and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine has had an immediate impact on the food security and nutrition of the world's most vulnerable people. This is adding to the existing food crisis caused by the pandemic and by climate change.

Canada is supporting organizations like the World Food Programme and other Canadian and international partners such as Nutrition International and its partners that are part of the Humanitarian Coalition, to provide emergency food and nutrition assistance to those most in need, as well as to assist in preparedness and response efforts, minimizing disruptions to food supply chains.

We have provided $514 million in humanitarian assistance in response to the current global food crisis in over 40 countries. For example, in 2021, Canada was the fourth-largest donor to the World Food Programme, providing more than $306 million in humanitarian funding to support its emergency operations around the world. We will continue to work with our partners to see what more we can do to help the most vulnerable.

In addition, Canada is recognized globally as a leader in evidence-based nutrition programs. It is not enough just to fill tummies. We have to provide the right kind of food and the right kind of nutrition in order to prevent malnutrition. We must think of maternal and children's health.

Canada is in fact leading in technical assistance and innovation and support in this regard, but we know that because of Vladimir Putin and his refusal to allow food out of critical Ukrainian ports like Odesa, his unjustifiable war is driving up the global prices for wheat, maize, oilseeds and other grains. Consequently, millions of the most vulnerable are being forced into food insecurity. It is why Canada has been focused on food security since the beginning of the crisis.

Since March, we have contributed $70 million worth of aid to Ukraine through the World Food Programme. We have helped hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians by providing meals at shelters, emergency food kits, food hampers and cash.

We know that existing food crises are being exacerbated by this conflict. This is why we continue to support the worst-hit regions, for example, $229 million to Syria and surrounding countries like Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq; $143 million to Afghanistan to support food assistance, clean water and health; and $73 million to Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia.

We are also providing $82 million in humanitarian and development assistance to address growing food and nutrition needs and to help avert famine in the Sahel and Lake Chad regions. These are just a few examples of the work that Canada is doing. Finding long-term solutions to the food security crisis in the global south is an absolute priority for our government.

That is why we take an approach in which we empower local farmers so that they can have the capacity to feed their people. The Minister of International Development recently announced a $100-million contribution to the African Development Bank. This money will be used to help small and medium agri-food enterprises grow, with a particular focus on agri SMEs run by or benefiting women. Investing in agri SMEs, half of which are run by women, will not only help with current local food shortages, but will also build long-term economic activity and opportunities. As these agri SMEs scale up, they could also start providing food supply to neighbouring regions and hopefully contribute to greater regional stability. With time, a growing agriculture sector in Africa can contribute to Africa being an economic powerhouse.

I want to be clear. Canada is a key player in the fight against global food insecurity. We will continue to work with our partners internationally and on the ground to see what more we can do to help the most vulnerable.

[Greg McLean, Conservative, Calgary Centre, AB]

Madam Chair, I have heard a few things here from the government side of the bench. I just heard the hon. parliamentary secretary say that Canada is a leader.

There is a recent organization set up by the United States called the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework. Canada is left out of that. Canada is left out of the Quad. Canada is left out of so many international organizations. Our reputation on the world stage is in tatters after seven years of this government because we cannot do anything. We have a natural resources minister that is talking about getting natural gas to Europe without pipelines, without LNG facilities, but he is talking. Nobody believes it.

Does the member really believe that the rest of the world thinks we can deliver food to them when we have ports and rails that get stopped all the time? We have no actual credibility in the world for delivering anymore. Could she please explain that to us?

[Anita Vandenbeld, Liberal, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

Mr. Chair, I would disagree with the premise of my hon. colleague's question. Anyone who looked on the ground and talked to our partners, including our multilateral partners, would see that Canada is very much present. In fact, we are leading. As I mentioned, we are the fourth-largest donor to the World Food Programme.

We continue to lead, particularly on innovation. The very farmers whom my hon. colleagues are talking about are the ones who are leading the kinds of innovations that are leading to the long-term resolution to food insecurity globally.

When it comes to our feminist international assistance policy, Canada has once again taken a leading role in the world and is respected worldwide because of it.

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

Madam Chair, I am pleased to hear the investment amounts referred to by my colleague to help countries in Africa feed themselves, as well as the steps that are being taken to support small and medium-sized agricultural enterprises in those regions.

That said, I still fundamentally believe that money cannot be eaten. Even here at home, we are at high risk of seeing food shortages. What can we do right here to support not only our own agriculture, but also agriculture in developing countries that are having a very tough time?

[Anita Vandenbeld, Liberal, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

Madam Chair, it is what I said previously about innovation and Canadian farmers and Canadian NGOs that are on the ground.

I spoke recently with the Humanitarian Coalition, whose partners are doing incredibly important innovative work around the world, using Canadian expertise, and also listening to the small-scale farmers internationally. We have projects looking at women farmers who are building co-operatives and building solutions within the global south. That is one of the key things that Canada has been particularly good at doing. It is ensuring that the expertise that is there is allowed to scale up and is potentially going to be part of the larger solution in the long term.