Lawrence MacAulay

[Carbon Pricing, October 19th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, I think my hon. colleague fully understands that farmers fully depend on what happens with the climate. In Prince Edward Island, we had hurricane Fiona. It blew warehouses down. It blew dairy barns down and killed cattle. In western Canada, where my hon. colleague is from, straw is worth $300 a bale. The Prairies burned and had floods. Quite simply, if we do not deal with the climate, we will not ever do anything about the price of food or be able to help farmers.

We will continue to address the climate issue in this country.

[Carbon Pricing, October 3rd, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, the first thing I would like to do is congratulate you on your appointment as Speaker of the House of Commons.

I think my colleague fully understands what is taking place with climate change. On Prince Edward Island, we had hurricane Fiona. It destroyed barns and it killed cattle. I visited western Canada. Bales of straw are $300 a bale because of the drought and not far away, there are floods because of climate change. Farmers fully understand the costs of climate change and they are in the front row in order to make sure that we protect the farms and the farmland, and we will continue to do so.

[Agriculture and Agri-food, September 25th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, I am sure that Quebec farmers and farmers right across the country understand and see exactly what climate change is doing, with the heavy rains, floods and strong winds. That is, of course, why, with the provinces and territories, we have the business risk management programs in order to make sure we are able to assist farmers in these difficult situations. We have done so and we will continue to make sure we support the agricultural clean technology program and the climate solutions program. These all help with the environment.

[Agriculture and Agri-Food, September 20th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my hon. colleague's question and fully understand the stress farmers are under. As he is fully aware, his provincial government in B.C. has sent the papers to my department. We are analyzing the situation, and as soon as that is done, we will make sure the farmers are compensated. This is what the business risk management plans are for: to make sure we help farmers in difficult situations. We will continue to do so.

[Carbon Pricing, September 20th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, the fact of the matter is that farmers are fully aware of what is taking place in this country.

Hurricane Fiona blew down their barns and killed their cattle. Temperatures went to 50 below zero and extreme winds were over 200 kilometres an hour, blowing everything to pieces. Farmers fully understand that that adds costs to everything.

That is why the Liberal government has continued and will continue to invest in climate change and to stand with our farmers.

[Carbon Pricing, September 20th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, being a farmer, I understand the trouble and difficulties farmers have. Imagine going to a potato field and having to take a bulldozer to pull the potato harvest.

Out in the Prairies, there is not enough rain to grow a crop. Fiona blew our barns down and it killed our dairy cattle. It blew the wharves to pieces.

That is why we, as a government, have invested in climate change and will continue to invest to make sure that farmers and the country itself can grow crops and have fishing and harbours.

[Carbon Pricing, September 19th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my hon. colleague's question, but I think my hon. colleague realizes that when hurricane Fiona hit eastern Canada, it destroyed barns, it killed cattle, it destroyed wharves and it cost an enormous amount of money.

It is quite obvious that we have to do something about the environment, and we are doing something about the environment. I know my hon. colleague is well aware that farmers stand with us to do something about the environment.

[Agriculture and Agri-Food, September 19th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, my sympathy certainly goes out to the farmers with the weather we are facing in Quebec and right across this country. We have the CAP program and the business risk management programs, which we worked on with the provinces and the territories right across the country. My hon. colleague is well aware that the province applies tabulations sent in to the federal government and we make sure we compensate the farmer. We will continue to do that, working hard with farmers to make sure they are able to continue.

[Questions on the Order Paper, September 18th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, with regard to (a), the Government of Canada recognizes that rising inflation is challenging many Canadians to meet their essential needs, including accessing food.

The Food Policy for Canada has a suite of measures to strengthen food systems and improve Canadians’ food security through an initial investment of $134.4 million, and an additional $10 million in Budget 2023 for community-led infrastructure projects to promote access to nutritious food.

The Government of Canada is working to make life more affordable for Canadians and contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Develop Goal of ending hunger by 2030. The government delivered important improvements to a range of income supports, such as the Canada Child Benefit, old age security, guaranteed income supplement, and tax credits for low-income workers and their families. The 2023 federal budget included a new, one-time Grocery Rebate to offer inflation relief to lower-income families which was dispersed on July 5, 2023.

With regard to (b), after the Canadian Food Policy Advisory Council was established in 2021, a working group was assembled to make recommendations to the Minister related to reducing food insecurity in Canada. The working group presented 3 recommendations: (1) Set a target to reduce food insecurity by 50% by 2030, based on the Canadian Income Survey's 2019 baseline. Further, seek to eliminate severe food insecurity. (2) Alleviate the disproportionate impact of food insecurity on Black and Indigenous people; and (3) Enhance measurement of food insecurity in Canada noting the comprehensive report that was submitted with recommendations on measurement and reporting.

With regard to (c), the Government of Canada has invested significantly into community-based initiatives to support Canada’s food systems. Under the Food Policy for Canada, the 5 year Local Food Infrastructure Fund, or LFIF, is designed to improve access to safe, nutritious, and culturally diverse food. It provides support to community-based, not-for-profit organizations to reduce food insecurity by establishing and/or strengthening local food systems.

A comprehensive accounting of projects funded under the Local Food Infrastructure Fund, including the name of the recipient, the agreement number and duration, a brief project description, the funding amount and location of the recipient are listed as part of the Open Government website.

For example, in 2022, Cold Lake First Nations received just over $200,000 Canadian to create a food system. The objective of this project is to purchase food processing equipment, cold and dry storage, fish harvesting equipment, food forest, garden beds with irrigation and kitchen upgrades.

[Carbon Pricing, September 18th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, when we look at what happened in our area of the country, Fiona alone destroyed barns and killed cattle. It destroyed wharfs. The fact is that if we do not deal with the economy the cost of everything will go up. We have invested in climate change and this government will continue to invest in climate change so we will have a place to live.