Alex Atamanenko

[Agriculture, September 23rd, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, cow-calf producers have been sorely neglected for many years. This year, flooding and drought are decimating producers but the government is too busy on other issues to listen to rural farmers.

Agristability is not working out. Crop insurance does not apply. There is nothing to invest in agri-invest and agrirecovery is a total bust.

While cattle producers are facing a huge loss and grain producers are not getting adequate compensation, the Conservatives are offering no hope at all.

When will the government wake up and focus on fixing these crucial farm support programs?

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, September 20th, 2010]

With regard to agrofuels: (a) what studies or reports has the government prepared, reviewed or commissioned to examine the effectiveness of using agrofuels as part of a greenhouse gas emission reduction strategy in (i) Canada, (ii) throughout the world; (b) what studies or reports has the government prepared, reviewed or commissioned to examine the link between the displacement of local peoples and the production of agrofuels in the global South; (c) from which countries is the government purchasing or intending to purchase biomass for the production of agrofuels; (d) what are the current regulations in regard to importing agrofuels and biomass for the production of agrofuels from countries in the global South; (e) what is the government’s policy concerning imports of agrofuels and biomass for the production of agrofuels from countries in the global South; (f) what studies or reports has the government prepared, reviewed or commissioned regarding any links between agrofuels production and food security; (g) how much federal funding from all sources has been directed to agrofuels in Canada in the last 10 years; (h) what studies or reports has the government prepared, reviewed or commissioned regarding the economic viability and cost effectiveness of agrofuels; and (i) what specific actions has the government undertaken or does it plan to undertake to respond to the five observations attached by the Senate to Bill C-33, An Act to amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, which came into force on September 28, 2009?

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, September 20th, 2010]

With respect to genetically engineered CDC Triffid flax that was found contaminating Canadian flax exports in 2009: (a) when was the government first made aware that there was CDC Triffid contamination in Canadian flax exports, how was this communicated to them and by whom; (b) what activities has the government undertaken to address the problem of contamination, including inter-departmental meetings and meetings with industry and trading partners; (c) how much federal money from all sources has been spent to date to repair the damage caused by this contamination to our trading relationship with Europe and for what activities; (d) how much federal money from all sources has been spent to date to clean the system of CDC Triffid flax and assist the industry or farmers to recover from the market loss resulting from this contamination; (e) when was CDC Triffid first made legal to sell in Canada; (f) when was CDC Triffid made illegal to sell in Canada; (g) why did the government consider it necessary to make CDC Triffid illegal; (h) when was the government first made aware of flax farmers’ concerns that the approval for sale in Canada of CDC Triffid could result in the closure of European markets to Canadian flax should any amount of contamination by CDC Triffid ever be discovered in their export shipments, how was this communicated to them and by whom; (i) what steps did the government take to address the concerns in (h); (j) what steps did the government take to ensure that all CDC Triffid was taken off the market and removed from the system once the decision was made to make CDC Triffid illegal to sell in Canada; (k) how long did it take the government to clean the system of CDC Triffid once the decision was made to make it illegal; (l) what steps did the government undertake in each of the years following CDC Triffid flax's removal from the market to ensure that Canadian flax remained uncontaminated by it; and (m) has the government ever been made aware of or discovered evidence that CDC Triffid flax might still be in the system in the years subsequent to its being made illegal to sell in Canada?

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, September 20th, 2010]

With respect to the government’s involvement in Recombinant DNA (rDNA) technology in each of the years from 1996 to 2010: (a) how much federal funding, from all sources, has the government spent on (i) research and development in the agricultural sector, (ii) research and development in the forestry sector, (iii) marketing and international or domestic promotion of rDNA technology in agriculture, (iv) marketing and international or domestic promotion of rDNA technology in forestry; (b) what percentage of funding has been allocated to conduct risk assessments on (i) human health impacts, (ii) ecosystem impacts and other consequences for flora and fauna, (iii) socio-economic factors associated with the introduction and use of rDNA technology; and (c) what public opinion polling has the government commissioned to enquire about public attitudes regarding the use of rDNA technology to genetically engineer food, seeds, trees, fish and animals and what were the results of each poll?

[Questions on the Order Paper, September 20th, 2010]

With regard to the sale, financing and ownership of Canadian farmland: (a) what is the amount of funding that Farm Credit Canada (FCC) has advanced to non-farming corporations for the purpose of purchasing farmland; (b) what are the names of the non-farming corporations to which FCC has provided funding for the purchasing of farmland; (c) what is the total amount of farmland acres that have been purchased with FCC funding by non-farming corporations; (d) what is the total amount of farmland that is owned by non-farming corporations; (e) what is the total amount of farmland that is owned by foreign investment companies; (f) what is the total amount of farmland that is owned by domestic investment companies; (g) what is the total amount of farmland that is owned by non-Canadian individuals and corporations; (h) what is the percentage of total Canadian farmland that is owned by non-Canadian individuals and companies; (i) what is the government’s policy regarding the acquisition of Canadian farmland by foreign individuals and corporations; (j) is it the government’s intention to institute policies that will limit the acquisition of Canadian farmland by foreign individuals and corporations; and (k) what is the government’s policy in regards to foreign ownership of farmland as it relates to national security?

[Petitions, June 17th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, I have here over 700 names of people from South Okanagan and other parts of British Columbia who are concerned about the fact that Canada Post has announced that it will be removing mail processing from local cities, towns and communities in British Columbia, and sending it to Vancouver.

They are saying that this will result in the reduction of service and loss of good paying jobs, which will negatively affect communities already hit hard by the economic recession. They ask the Government of Canada to ensure that Canada Post does the following: support local economies by preserving local jobs and maintaining mail processing at post offices in local cities, towns and communities.

They ask that, prior to making any changes to their mail processing and transportation network, Canada Post conduct a thorough and in-depth study into the service and economic impact on local communities and, using those results, hold full, open and transparent consultation with the local communities that will be impacted by the changes.

They also ask that Canada Post reveal its long-term operational plans to Parliament and the Canadian public.

[Health of Animals Act, June 16th, 2010]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-544, An Act to amend the Health of Animals Act and the Meat Inspection Act (slaughter of horses for human consumption).

Mr. Speaker, this private member's bill would amend the Health of Animals Act by saying that no person shall import horses for slaughter for human consumption, and also that no person shall export from Canada or send or convoy from one province to another horses for slaughter for human consumption.

There would also be an amendment to the Meat Inspection Act to add that no person shall import or export a horsemeat product for human consumption or send or convoy a horsemeat product for human consumption from one province to another.

The main point here is health. We are seeing the prevalence in horsemeat of anti-inflammatory drugs. For example, phenylbutazone is quite likely to be prevalent in horsemeat. It is a known carcinogen and it is illegal to use it in any animal that enters the food supply.

My bill would prevent these drugs that are given to horses from entering the food supply. Therefore, I would ask all members to support this bill.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

[Petitions, June 14th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, I present this petition on behalf of some residents of Alberta who are concerned with the Canadian horse industry, which they say will result in the loss of a way of life, careers and livelihoods.

The petitioners point out that close to 100,000 American horses are being dumped into Canada because of the closure of all American horse-processing plants, and that these horses are being stockpiled for the future because of pending traceability and health regulations.

The petitioners would also like the government to abandon any design in regard to a functioning horse traceability program. They say that the one that is already in place has worked well for the past 100 years. They ask the minister to end the dumping of American horses into Canada and to cancel all proposed Canadian horse traceability and health regulations.

[Prison Farms, June 14th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, this Conservative government's agenda with respect to crown corporations is coming more into focus. After passing a budget that will privatize Canada Post and sell Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, the government has announced that it wants to end the 130-year-old prison farm program.

Experts say that this program is much more effective than the repressive approach of the United States.

Is the government using its so-called “tough on crime” approach to justify the sale of farm prison assets to its private sector friends?

[Royal Canadian Mounted Police, June 10th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, federal policies restricting RCMP detachments from replacing officers on leave are placing hardships on communities in the Boundary area of my riding.

According to the mayor of Midway, Randy Kappes, only one of four local officers has been on duty in the last two weeks, and local citizens are concerned that crime is increasing.

Mayor Colleen Lang of Greenwood stated that this lower level of policing is causing concern in her community and that officers on leave should have a replacement.

According to Grace McGregor, the Kootenay Boundary regional director for Christina Lake, which is a tourist-dependent community, there is a desperate need for increasing the police presence.

Once again our rural communities are being deprived of vital services. According to Staff Sergeant Jim Harrison, the detachment used to have a budget that would cover overtime hours needed during periods of extra workload, but this is no longer the case. This funding needs to be restored to ensure that rural communities have sufficient resources to provide adequate police protection.