Lawrence MacAulay

[Agriculture and Agri-Food, February 27th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for giving me another opportunity to promote world-class Canadian products, including lobster.

Farmers and fishers expect their government to open new markets, and in fact, that is just what we did. I officially opened a new Indo-Pacific trade office that will help promote Canadian agriculture and seafood products. I always promote Canadian products when I am overseas, no matter whether I am in the government or in the opposition. It is vitally important that we promote the fishers and farmers who work so hard for their dollar.

[Carbon Pricing, February 26th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, being a farmer, I fully understand the importance and the effects of climate change. I understand how important it is to take care of the land. That is why we, as a government, have invested $1.5 million to help farmers and processors reduce their environmental footprint and stay on the cutting edge. We will continue to fight climate change and work with farmers and ranchers right across this country.

[Carbon Pricing, February 13th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, being a farmer on Canada's Agriculture Day and being part of a government that has an environmental plan make me very proud. It is so important, and farmers understand, that we have to take care of the land, and we must have an environmental plan. As far as the price on food goes, in the agriculture committee, Tyler McCann of the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute indicated to the committee members that there was no data to support the idea that carbon pricing is resulting in an increase in food prices.

[Carbon Pricing, February 8th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, being a farmer, I am well aware of how important it is to take care of the environment. That is why it is so important to have a tax on pollution. In fact, last Tuesday in committee, Tyler McCann of the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute indicated to the committee members that there is no data to support that carbon pricing is resulting in any increase in the price of groceries.

[Carbon Pricing, February 1st, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, being a farmer and being a former dairy farmer, it is hard to imagine what farmers had to deal with with hurricane Fiona. Farmers woke up and went out to their barn. The barn was destroyed. The cattle were killed. It killed the dairy cattle. That is a great cost to the cost of food.

I am so proud to be part of a government that has an environmental plan, that will make sure that we will continue to work with farmers and to make sure that they are able to deal with the climate issues that they have to deal with in this country. We have and will continue to—

[Carbon Pricing, January 30th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, being a farmer, the member must fully understand that it is so important that we invest in what farmers do. When one sees what takes place across the country, with the devastating fires and floods, it is so important that we take care of the environment.

Farmers fully understand that one has to take care of the land and the environment, and if not, one's food price will increase dramatically. We will continue to make sure we support our farmers and ranchers right across this country.

[Carbon Pricing, January 30th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, I fully understand the importance of looking after the land. Being a farmer, I fully understand taking steps to prepare the industry for the future.

That is why we invested, as a government, $1.5 billion to make sure our farmers, ranchers and processors are ready for the future. We are going to continue to make sure our farmers and ranchers remain on the cutting edge.

[Questions on the Order Paper, January 29th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, in response to part (a) of the question, I received the requests for AgriRecovery assessments from Alberta on July 5, British Columbia on July 14, and Saskatchewan on July 17, 2023.

With respect to part (b) of the question, I had secured all of the federal authorities required, including funding, by October 18, 2023.

The amounts of federal funding for each province for the 2023 drought/wildfires are up to $42,624,161 to British Columbia, up to $99,211,409 to Alberta and up to $77,164,430 to Saskatchewan, for a total of up to $219 million in federal funding.

As regards part (c) of the question, the amounts of federal funding for each province for the 2023 drought/wildfires are up to $42,624,161 to British Columbia, up to $99,211,409 to Alberta and up to $77,164,430 to Saskatchewan, for a total of up to $219 million in federal funding.

In response to part (e) of the question, for all funding requests, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and Central Agencies collaborate to secure the required authorities, including funding, through the government decision-making process that includes some or all ministers who are members of cabinet and Treasury Board, and the Governor General.

[Carbon Pricing, January 29th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, being a farmer, I fully understand how important an environmental plan is for the government. I am sorry that his party does not have an environmental plan. As a government, we do have an environmental plan, and with that environmental plan, for example, we were able to invest $1.5 billion into farmers and ranchers across this country to make sure they stay on the cutting edge. We have made sure and will continue to make sure that farmers and ranchers stay on the cutting edge.

[Agriculture and Agri-Food, December 14th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, I did meet with my hon. colleague yesterday, and I fully understand the concern he has. The program is under what we call the business risk management program, which is put together by the federal government, the provincial government and the territories. The guidelines have been put in place.

As I said yesterday to my hon. colleague, anything I can do to help the farmers in Quebec, I will do, but there are guidelines to follow.