Mr. Speaker, on October 3, I asked the Minister of Agriculture if he would abandon the government's proposed regulatory changes to the plant breeders' rights in favour of supporting the rights of farmers who save and re-use their seed. The parliamentary secretary rose and responded that consultations have happened, which completely dodged the question. Less than a week later, on October 9, I rose in the House to present a petition signed by more than 6,000 Canadians who want the same answer to the same unanswered question.
Amending the Plant Breeders' Rights Act, as the government has proposed to do, would be, as I said in October, harmful and reckless. It would force farmers to purchase seed annually, and it would drive up production costs, restrict access to new varieties and undermine the ability of farmers to adapt to climate change. It would undermine the age-old practice of farmers' using farm-safe seed, forcing them to buy seeds or pay royalties year after year.
That is what the CFIA's proposed regulatory changes would do to the people who grow Canada's fruit, vegetable, ornamental and hybrid varieties.
I am rising again tonight on the issue because in the government's response to my e-petition 6778, which was signed by more than 6,000 Canadians, it missed the mark and left the farm community perplexed about whom the government is actually trying to help with its changes. It is certainly not the hard-working farmers who produce our food.
The National Farmers Union has been banging the alarm bell on this issue, and I want to thank its members for their tireless advocacy and for keeping this important issue at the forefront. Earlier this month they wrote to the agriculture minister expressing their disappointment with the government's response to the e-petition and, once again, urging the government to abandon its proposed amendments to the plant breeders' rights regulations removing farmer privilege to certain crops.
That letter from the National Farmers Union was co-signed by many other major agricultural stakeholder groups from across Canada, including the Atlantic Canadian Organic Regional Network, the Canada Organic Trade Association, the Canadian Organic Growers, the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network, the Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario, FarmFolk CityFolk, Friends of the Earth Canada, Growers of Organic Food Yukon, Manitoba Organics, Organic Alberta, SaskOrganics, SeedChange and Young Agrarians.
The co-signatories on the letter feel the government's response to this issue was inadequate and is not reflective of a government that purports to take farmers' concerns seriously. They note that the government failed to provide a thoughtful response that properly acknowledged the validity of the points made in the e-petition, including forcing farmers to buy seed and/or propagating material annually, which would increase production costs, allow plant breeders to raise prices, prevent access to new varieties that are not available commercially, and prevent farmers from adapting their crops to changing climatic conditions on their farms.
They also state that removing farmers' privilege for new fruit, vegetable and ornamental varieties would unfairly encroach upon farmers' age-old practice of using farm-saved seed. The CFIA wants private investment in plant breeding to become more profitable by taking more revenue from farmers. Canada should provide more support to our public plant breeding system, which benefits farmers and the public. Farmers' privilege is key to food security and Canada's sovereignty. Ensuring that farmers can reproduce crops on their own farms, even if supply chain or climate impacts restrict the supply of propagating material, is critical.
I should note that this letter was sent to the whole of cabinet, including the Prime Minister. In all sincerity I say that I have a copy of that letter with me this evening if the government needs a copy.
I hope the parliamentary secretary is prepared to address these concerns in a more fulsome way than was done during question period in October. I stand alongside these incredible organizations in calling on the government to abandon the proposed regulatory amendments, protect farmers and support farmers' rights through this real action, not empty words. I look forward to the response.