John Barlow

[International Trade, November 20th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, last week the Prime Minister torpedoed deciding on a trans-Pacific partnership. Now with the delay, Canadian ranchers are paying 50% duty on frozen beef exports to Japan, something they would not have to face if the trans-Pacific partnership was in place. Farmers are tired of being ignored by the Liberal government unless, of course, they are looking to raise tax revenue. In fact, farmers do not trust the Liberals to represent them on the world stage.

When will the Prime Minister gain critical access in the Asia-Pacific market for Canadian agriculture? When will he sign the TPP?

[Agriculture and Agri-Food, November 9th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, a third of Canada's pulse exports go to India. The Minister of Agriculture must make this a priority. There is simply too much at stake.

The inactions of the minister have very real consequences. Further delays will jeopardize Canada's $4-billion pulse sector. We have critical trade agreements that are in jeopardy and this minister has been pushed to the sidelines. He has not even been invited to a vital trade mission to India.

When it comes to these negotiations, when will the Prime Minister appoint a Minister of Agriculture Canadian farmers can trust will be at the table fighting for them?

[Agriculture and Agri-Food, November 9th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, with the previous Conservative government, Canadian pulse exports went from $1 billion to a record $4.2 billion a year, with exports to India at $1.5 billion. However, negotiating exemptions for Canadian exports expired more than a month ago, and now we have learned that there is a 50% duty on Canadian pea exports to India.

How did the agricultural minister allow this situation to go from bad to worse, and when he is going to secure this vital market for Canada's pulse sector?

[Questions on the Order Paper, November 9th, 2017]

With regard to the Minister of Finance's promise of September 18, 2017, to return the phone calls of Canadians wishing to discuss the government’s consultation paper titled “Tax Planning Using Private Corporations”: (a) how many people have requested callbacks; (b) how many calls has the Minister returned; (c) how many calls does the Minister anticipate returning by the consultation closing date of October 2, 2017; (d) how many calls does the Minister anticipate returning by December 31, 2017; (e) for all requests made in (a), how is the Minister being informed of the requests; (f) for each person in (a), what is their (i) title, (ii) field of work, (iii) province; (g) for each person in (b), what is their (i) title, (ii) field of work, (iii) province; (h) how many government officials from the Department of Finance have been assigned to receive requests for callbacks from the Minister, and what is their position or title; (i) how many Ministerial exempt, or other political staff have been assigned to receive requests for callbacks from the Minister, and what is their position or title; (j) has the Department of Finance requested additional resources to handle requests for callbacks and, if so, what is the cost of these resources; and (k) what is the itemized breakdown of any costs referred to in (j)?

[Questions on the Order Paper, November 8th, 2017]

With regard to the proposed changes to small business taxation announced on July 18, 2017: (a) what studies have been conducted by the government regarding the effect the proposed changes would have on individual farm ownership, intergenerational farm ownership, and specifically the ability to pass down family farms from generation to generation; (b) what are the specific details of each study referred to in (a), including (i) who conducted the study, (ii) date, (iii) findings, (iv) methodology, (v) website where findings can be located, if applicable; and (c) what are the details of any briefing notes on the subject, including for each the (i) date, (ii) title, (iii) sender, (iv) recipient, (v) subject matter, (vi) summary, (vii) file number?

[Questions on the Order Paper, November 8th, 2017]

With regard to the proposed changes to small business taxation announced on July 18, 2017: (a) what studies have been conducted by the government regarding the effect the proposed changes would have on individual farm ownership, intergenerational farm ownership, and specifically the ability to pass down family farms from generation to generation; (b) what are the specific details of each study referred to in (a), including (i) who conducted the study, (ii) date, (iii) findings, (iv) methodology, (v) website where findings can be located, if applicable; and (c) what are the details of any briefing notes on the subject, including for each the (i) date, (ii) title, (iii) sender, (iv) recipient, (v) subject matter, (vi) summary, (vii) file number?

[Canadian Farmers, November 6th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, I had the opportunity to travel to beautiful New Brunswick and P.E.I. to talk to our farmers in Atlantic Canada. Their innovation, diversity of product, and entrepreneurial spirit is incredible, but what I heard from these farmers is the frustration with Liberal policies affecting their farms, stifling their small businesses and their communities. After denying it for months, the Liberals had to admit that their changes would indeed impact the future of the family farm. Through all of this, the agriculture minister and Liberal MPs in Atlantic Canada were silent.

There is a great deal of anxiety among Canadian farmers. They do not trust the Liberal government and they have reason to be wary: a punitive carbon tax, critical trade agreements now in jeopardy, and crippling taxes on family farms show that agriculture is not a priority for the Liberal government.

As shadow minister for agriculture, I will continue to listen to our farmers, stand up for Canadian agriculture, and assure our producers in Atlantic Canada and across the country that the Conservatives will ensure that farmers in Canada have a powerful voice here in Parliament.

[Transportation Modernization Act, October 30th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, through the Fair Rail for Grain Farmers Act, the government allowed this agreement that is critical to grain farmers in western Canada. It ensures they have an opportunity to get their product to market.

The hon. member is right that this issue arose in 2013 when we had a harsh winter and a great harvest. That is why we brought in the Fair Rail for Grain Farmers Act to ensure that interswitching abilities were there and that they had the opportunity to get their product to market.

However, what concerns me and ag producers across Canada is that this government allowed that agreement or that act to sunset in August, despite much feedback from the Conservative opposition and stakeholders across Canada to try and extend that act before coming forward with Bill C-49. Right now, that option is not there for a grain farmer, should some of these issues come up again this fall now that harvest is complete.

I ask my colleague from Central Nova, if we start hearing from grain producers about issues in terms of access and the lack of grain cars, will the Liberal government and the minister of agriculture step in to address this prior to Bill C-49 being given royal assent?

[Transportation Modernization Act, October 30th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, the member she said that the government spoke with freight stakeholders. That raises a concern for me. It did not speak with stakeholders from the agriculture sector.

Producers I have spoken with over the last few months are concerned with Bill C-49 and the fact that it does not entrench the Fair Rail for Grain Farmers Act, which our Conservative government enacted in 2015. This policy would ensure that grain growers had access to rail transportation when they had a real glut from huge harvests such as the one 2013-14. We are seeing this again in a lot of the western Canada provinces, with a very strong harvest this year. The concerns I hear from grain producers is that the access to grain act is not part of this legislation. It sounds like the government did not have any conversations with agriculture stakeholders, but simply listened to what the rail companies wanted to see in Bill C-49.

My question to my esteemed colleague is this. What conversations has the government had with agricultural producers and why did it not entrench the Fair Rail for Grain Farmers Act as part of this legislation?

[Business of Supply, October 23rd, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, one thing that is bothering me the most about what is happening here today is the minister has had this history of doing the right thing all the time, but what we are talking about today is the ethical lapses that this finance minister has had. I do not care if he creates one job or two million jobs. This is about trust in the finance minister. Does the other member feel that Canadians and members in this House can trust the finance minister with the ethical lapses that he has had over the last couple of months?