Jean-Claude Poissant

[Business of Supply, April 21st, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Berthier—Maskinongé for raising this important issue in the House. I would also like to acknowledge the producers who are here today.

The government fully supports Canada’s supply management system. We are all working together to address the industry’s concerns. The minister and I are both former dairy farmers. We understand very well the challenges farmers face on a daily basis. My family’s farm is in La Prairie, not too far from here. It is a fifth-generation dairy farm.

Supply-managed sectors are essential for ensuring that Canada has a strong agricultural sector and a prosperous economy. All told, the dairy, poultry, and egg markets create nearly 300,000 jobs and generate overall economic spinoffs of $32 billion.

Of all of Canada’s food industries, the dairy sector is the largest. It accounts for $6 billion in farm gate sales and more than $16 billion in sales in the processing sector, and it employs more than 100,000 people.

The dairy sector includes our innovative cheese industry, which continues to win awards around the world. Dairy production is an important part of the economy in every region of Quebec. Across the province, over 6,000 dairy farm owners market nearly 3 billion litres of milk a year with a farm gate value of over $2,000 billion.

That is why the government committed to protecting supply management and holding consultations to find a long-term solution. Canada is also a world leader in exports of livestock genetics, with sales of nearly $200 million in 100 countries. The government is determined to support Canada’s dynamic dairy sector.

In January, we announced a new $1.75-million federal investment in the dairy research cluster. This large investment will support the work of our Canadian agriculture and agri-food researchers in two key areas: enhancing the energy value of Canadian forage crops to increase milk production and understanding the role played by milk fat, including its effect on type 2 diabetes. Total federal funding for the dairy research cluster is now $13.75 million.

We have been clear from the start: the Government of Canada strongly supports supply management. Innovation is important to the Canadian dairy industry. Today, the average cow produces almost three times more milk than 50 years ago. The industry is substantially improving its productivity and sustainability. Canadian dairy farmers are among the world leaders in their industry when it comes to the environment. The Canadian dairy industry currently has a smaller carbon, water and soil footprint than almost every other dairy industry in the world.

On our family farm in La Prairie, we want to conserve water and soil resources for future generations, so we are very conscious of the importance of the environment. All agricultural activities have an environmental impact, whether they take place in the field or in the barn. Canadian farmers know they have to take the environment into account in everything they do. That is the right thing to do for the future of their families and of our planet.

That is why I was in Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue two weeks ago with the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food to announce a federal investment of $27 million to help producers find ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from their farming operations.

This investment is part of the Government of Canada’s ongoing efforts to help this sector be competitive, innovative and sustainable.

The agricultural greenhouse gases program supports research into greenhouse gas-reducing practices and technologies that can be implemented on the farm. This new five-year investment extends Canada’s existing commitment to support the objectives of the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases. On Monday, the Agriculture and Environment ministers announced a one-year investment of up to $1.9 million for the agricultural youth green jobs initiative to attract youth to green jobs in the agriculture and agri-food sector.

This initiative follows through on a Government of Canada commitment made in budget 2016 to provide employment opportunities for post-secondary graduates interested in helping the agriculture sector carry out environmentally beneficial activities.

For dairy farmers, these activities could include building fences so that livestock—

[Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation Events, April 12th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, today I want to draw attention to an event that was held on the weekend in my riding of La Prairie.

I am referring to the seventh edition of the Soirée Victoire, held in Candiac, which raised the tidy sum of $116,000. As in past years, this money will be donated to the Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation and used mainly for research, different programs to support women, and prevention and awareness programs.

Over the past 20 years, more than $26 million has been raised for research and more than $10.5 million to support women in their fight against breast cancer.

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the organizing committee and all the partners that helped make the evening happen. I would especially like to thank Danielle Simard, the chair of Les Événements Victoire in Candiac, for her wonderful work. Her commitment to supporting women deserves to be recognized.

[Agriculture and Agri-Food, February 23rd, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her question.

We are well aware of the industry's concerns regarding the use of diafiltered milk to produce cheese. We are working with departmental officials in order to ensure that the standards are clear for everyone. The Government of Canada is fully committed to protecting supply management.

[International Trade, February 19th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for her question.

The Government of Canada strongly supports free trade and the implementation of the Canada-Europe free trade agreement. It will stimulate investment, open up new markets, create jobs, and benefit Canadian consumers. The agreement will improve market access for Canada's agricultural exports and imports.

We will work with the departments involved and representatives from the provinces and territories to implement this agreement.

[Community Organization in La Prairie, February 19th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian social safety net has made us proud for many years. Over time, the face of poverty has really changed. An increasing number of salaried workers and even unemployed workers are doing their utmost to find a new job.

Fortunately, there are community organizations to help them. In my riding of La Prairie, Complexe Le Partage offers peer assistance, support, integration and training services to families and individuals in need. These services have helped almost 4,000 children and adults.

Tomorrow is World Day of Social Justice. Therefore, I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the people who work at Complexe Le Partage. I thank them on behalf of the families of La Prairie.

[Georges Gagné, January 28th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute posthumously to a man who put his stamp on the riding of La Prairie and who, sadly, died a few weeks ago.

Georges Gagné left his mark on municipal politics and was devoted to the people of Delson, whom he proudly represented for 36 years. First elected at the age of 49, he retired shortly before turning 85 because he felt that he had accomplished his goal, which was to give his community the resources it needed to flourish and become independent.

Today I join everyone in the municipality of Delson in extending my sincere condolences to his family and expressing my profound gratitude for the many years their father devoted to making Delson the municipality it is today.

[Resumption of debate on Address in Reply, January 27th, 2016]

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.

The Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector must have reliable access to labour. In many regions, temporary foreign workers make up a large portion of the labour force for some industries. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada is working with its federal partners to ensure that the policies and programs pertaining to the labour force take those needs into account.

[Resumption of debate on Address in Reply, January 27th, 2016]

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for his question regarding the Lac-Mégantic tragedy.

Our government is actively studying the railway transportation file in order to keep all Canadians safe.

[Resumption of debate on Address in Reply, January 27th, 2016]

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for her question.

In my speech, I spoke a lot about food security because Canada has a strong reputation as a producer of safe, healthy, high-quality food. We can build on that reputation.

The Government of Canada will invite the provincial and territorial governments, stakeholders, and Canadians to share their opinions in order to define the scope and direction of a food policy.

[Resumption of debate on Address in Reply, January 27th, 2016]

Madam Speaker, as this is my first time rising in the House, I want to say that I am very honoured to be among my colleagues to represent the people of La Prairie.

I will remain true to my commitments and the ideologies of our party and our leader, the Prime Minister. I intend to work hard and with determination to be a spokesperson worthy of their trust. I want to thank my wife, Francine Gingras, for her unwavering support. Many thanks to my children, Carolanne and Jason, whom I love with all my heart, and to my wife's children, Michael and Jenny Mantha, for their encouragement.

Many thanks to the people of my riding and the hardworking team of volunteers who stood by me throughout the 78 days of the election campaign. Without their support, I would not be here in this place of democracy. Before getting into my speech, I also want to congratulate all my parliamentary colleagues on earning the trust of their constituents.

I would like to begin by painting a picture of the riding of La Prairie, which is one of three new ridings in Quebec. I could go on for hours, but I will stick to the basics. I know my riding like the back of my hand because I grew up there. Not only was I born there, but I watched it develop for 55 years. Located not far from Montreal on the banks of the majestic St. Lawrence, the riding of La Prairie is a study in contrasts. Within its roughly 295 square kilometres lies Quebec's most populous RCM, Roussillon, which has 99,815 inhabitants. The average age of the population is 38, which speaks to the many young families we have.

The riding is half urban and half rural. That is not surprising because it contains the best agricultural land in the St. Lawrence River valley. The Mohawk community of Kahnawake is in my riding too. La Prairie is blessed with favourable geographical features. Located on the shores of the St. Lawrence, it is close to metropolitan Montreal and major thoroughfares such as Highway 30 and the 15 south, as well as a major rail network and the U.S. border. This adds up to major economic potential, and we have so much going on in so many ways.

That brings me to our rich heritage and culture. La Prairie was established in 1667 and has held a very special place in Canadian history since 1975 because of its architecture and archeological finds. The Canadian Railway Museum in Saint-Constant, the largest of its kind in the country and the third-largest in the world, brings a major part of our history alive with its unique collection of railway rolling stock.

As for the city of Sainte-Catherine, it has a deepwater port with locks and all the development potential that goes along with that resource. Our rural municipalities with their fertile soil produce a wide variety of agricultural products, including vegetables, grains, and livestock.

The people I represent are proud of this unique heritage, and they care about their families' welfare. Throughout the election campaign, I promised to be their spokesperson in the House of Commons, to make the government aware of their needs, and to do everything in my power to contribute to their well-being.

I would like to thank the Prime Minister and his office for the trust they placed in me when they appointed me to be the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. As everyone will see during my term in office, agriculture is my life. I was born on my ancestors' farm. I grew up there and I raised my family there. This farm specializes in the production of milk, as well as vegetables and grains for processing, and was passed down to a fifth generation thanks to my son, who is taking over. During all the years I was an active farmer, I was always in tune with the agricultural community, sharing its joys and sorrows. Although with my new commitments I have had to take a step back from farming, I am still in touch with the agricultural community and what is going on there, and I am well positioned to understand farmers' everyday realities.

From the earth to Parliament, I will do everything I can to protect our agriculture. Farmers do not roll up their sleeves; they tear them off. This industry deserves to be seen for what it is, and that is a vital force. In Canada, agriculture and agrifood are the leading employment sector. They generate 2.3 million jobs and $108 billion a year, which represents 6.6% of our GDP. Every day, over 200,000 farms put food on our tables and provide us with grains, fruit, vegetables, dairy products, meat, and other food.

However, there is a threat hanging over this nice picture, namely that one day supply will not be able to meet demand. We have a duty to ensure that Canadians and their families can always count on having healthy, nutritious food produced sustainably and in a way that respects the environment. Meeting the public's basic needs also means ensuring the health of our farmers and our farms.

We cannot deny that in an ever-changing world, feeding our people has become an issue of national security. Agriculture and agri-food is our second-largest export sector. As borders collapse, our agriculture sector must redouble its efforts and find creative ways to adapt to the ever-changing effects of globalization, not to mention climate change.

Some producers are faring well, while others are not. Between 2001 and 2006, Canada lost more than 17,500 farm businesses. We must put a stop to this, because it is having a physical and psychological impact on our farming families. Throughout our election campaign, we saw how important it is for Canadians to have the tools to access healthy food every day. We need to develop a national food policy. In my riding alone, food bank use jumped by 28% in the last two years. It is estimated that two and a half million Canadians are struggling with food insecurity. The government defines that as the inability to acquire or consume an adequate diet quality or sufficient quantity of food in socially acceptable ways, or the uncertainty that one will be able to do so.

I urge all of my colleagues to put ideology and politics aside and make a national food policy a top priority. Our food policy, as I see it, will aim to find a responsible way to meet the current and future needs of Canadians and their families, in terms of quantity and quality. It will also relieve our farmers of the massive burden they have taken on, as we continue to ask more of them.

Our farming families work tirelessly to defend everything they have worked so hard to acquire under conditions that are not always equitable. There are discrepancies in quality and production costs, climate, and the size of farms, which says a lot. This has been going on too long and is completely unacceptable. We have to address it and ensure that these key players are part of the solution.

I am ready to work hard and give the best of myself in order to implement such a policy. That is why I am here in Ottawa.

The regions will play a crucial role in achieving these objectives. Every region is unique. We must recognize what they have to contribute and carefully manage what they have to offer. Therefore, we must listen carefully to what they need and the signals they send us. For example, my riding has had to adapt to urban expansion into the countryside. Many people have chosen to live in rural areas near major cities in order to enjoy the best of both worlds. That leads to friction. We know from experience that tensions subside when local initiatives foster understanding and better communication. The Marché des jardiniers in La Prairie is a good example of that.

With our positive attitude, we also want to improve the living conditions of aboriginal communities and invest in their education. For too long, their education system was underfunded and their children paid the price. They are behind in reading, writing, and mathematics. In order to correct this deplorable situation, programs from kindergarten to grade 12 will receive increased annual core funding. The academic success of first nations children is one of our priorities.

The action we are taking reflects our view that we must invest today in the society of tomorrow.