Neil Ellis

[Agriculture and Agri-Food, May 14th, 2021]

Madam Speaker, our government is investing $4.2 million to launch a living lab in Ontario. This will be the fourth of its kind, following similar collaborations in the Atlantic region, the Prairies and Quebec.

The research will focus on reducing runoff from agricultural land into Lake Erie, improving water quality, conserving soil health and increasing biodiversity. Those are the tools farmers need to set the stage for tomorrow's agriculture.

[Dental Hygienists, April 13th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, April is Oral Health Month in Canada. As we all continue to do our part to keep our communities healthy throughout the pandemic, we must also remember that maintaining our well-being includes protecting our oral health and hygiene. This is why I am pleased to recognize the dental hygienists community in my riding and beyond.

Last week, from April 4 to April 10, was National Dental Hygienists Week. Our dental hygienists know best that taking care of our mouths, teeth and gums benefits our overall well-being. This year, they were creative in taking the celebrations online to spread their oral health and total health message far and wide.

For the dental hygienists community in my riding of Bay of Quinte, and for all its members across the country, we celebrate the professionals who help us smile brightly every day.

[Agriculture and Agri-Food, March 25th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, as I said before, our government recognizes the importance of temporary foreign workers. All federal departments involved in the temporary foreign worker program have worked together to simplify processes and facilitate as much as possible the safe entry of workers. We recognize the integral role that our farmers and food processing employers play in ensuring that Canadians have access to food. We are here to support them.

The fall economic statement committed an additional $34.4 million to continue the mandatory isolation support for temporary foreign workers. Between September and December 2020, around 2,053 temporary foreign workers arrived in Canada to support the 2021 season.

[Agriculture and Agri-Food, March 25th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, our government recognizes the importance of temporary foreign workers to our producers and our food processors. We are working tirelessly to ensure that temporary foreign workers can arrive safely in Canada by supporting employers with the additional costs incurred to accommodate the isolation period. All federal departments involved in the temporary foreign worker program have worked together to simplify processes and facilitate as much as possible the safe entry of these workers.

[Agriculture and Agri-Food, February 26th, 2021]

Madam Speaker, pollution should not be free. A pricing system where all the revenues stay in the province is one of the key solutions to reduce emissions. Bill C-206 would not provide relief for the fuel cost of grain drying, as it does not add grain drying as an eligible farming activity.

We are committed to new rebates for on-farm fuel use, such as grain drying, to support our producers and are making grain drying and barn heating a priority focus under the new $165-million agriculture clean technology fund. Having a serious plan that achieves our environmental goals is expected not only by Canadians, but also by the next generation of farmers.

[Agriculture and Agri-Food, February 19th, 2021]

Madam Speaker, we promised to fully and fairly compensate the supply-managed sectors, and that is what we did. For the dairy sector to give an example, that represents $38,000 each year for the owner of a farm with 80 dairy cows. For chicken, egg, broiler hatching egg and turkey sectors, these programs will drive innovation and growth for farmers.

We will always be there to defend supply management and will not make any further market access concessions.

[Agriculture and Agri-Food, February 19th, 2021]

Madam Speaker, Canada's supply-managed dairy, poultry and egg farmers play a critical role in keeping our rural communities vibrant. In order to offer dairy farmers more certainty, our government announced that the remaining $1.4 billion of compensation would be delivered over a timeline of three years.

For Canada's 4,800 chicken, egg, broiler hatching egg and turkey farmers our government also announced $691 million for a 10-year program.

We will always be there to defend supply management. We will not make any further market access concessions.

[Agriculture and Agri-Food, January 27th, 2021]

Madam Speaker, for farmers to take advantage of new market opportunities on the world stage, they need to meet consumers' demands for sustainability. That is why, over the next 10 years, we will invest $350 million to help farmers continue their stewardship of soil, water and biodiversity.

Carbon pollution pricing remains an important part of Canada's plan for a cleaner and more innovative economy. Since the beginning, we have recognized the special role our farmers play in Canada, which is why we exempt farm fields, greenhouses and farm fuel obtained from cardlock facilities. Alongside these promises, we will continue making investments in the sector to improve the energy efficiency of agricultural equipment.

We are also investing $1.65 million in the new agricultural clean-tech program and $200 million in the climate action incentive fund, financed through proceeds from the federal carbon pollution pricing system, which has already supported more than 200 energy efficiency projects in agriculture, such as helping a farmer replace an old and inefficient grain dryer or install solar panels for watering systems.

We are also developing a greenhouse gas offset system. It could offer opportunities for farmers to generate carbon offset credits through on-farm practices that reduce emissions and store carbon.

Canadian farmers are—

[Agriculture and Agri-Food, January 27th, 2021]

Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Bow River for the opportunity to address the strong measures our government has put in place to support our farmers.

Our government is maximizing our trade opportunities for our farmers. We have been working hard to diversify our trade through agreements with key trading partners, including the European Union, North America and the countries of the trans-Pacific partnership. Most recently, we did so through the trade agreement with the United Kingdom.

The results speak for themselves. The 14 free trade agreements we have in place cover 51 countries, connecting our farmers to 1.5 billion global consumers. Together these agreements give Canadian farmers a competitive edge in over 60% of the global economy. Today, we are the only G7 nation to have a free trade agreement with the other six nations. That puts us in a very powerful position internationally.

We know that strong farm business means a strong economy. That is why we are focused on strong business risk management programs. Building on all emergency supports we have rolled out this year to support farmers during the pandemic, our government stands ready to step up with improvements to the BRM programs.

We are seeking a national consensus with the provinces and territories to make enhancements to the AgriStability program that would significantly increase the amount paid out to our farmers through the program. As a starting point, our government is looking to remove the reference margin limits, and is prepared to look at further immediate enhancements to AgriStability. As well, we are looking to increase the AgriStability compensation rate from 70% to 80%.

With regard to the hon. member's reference to the review of neonicotinoid insecticides by Health Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency, the government has engaged with producers and other stakeholders to examine impacts and identify potential alternatives to neonics, including through research. We have submitted to the PMRA new scientific papers and additional information from the public, the province and the agriculture industry, as well as our working group. The PMRA is currently reviewing the submitted information and plans to provide federal decisions in the spring of 2021.

We support the rigorous science-based regulation of pesticides in Canada to ensure they continue to meet modern health and safety standards. We will continue to make sure our farmers have the tools they need to feed Canadians and the world.

[Agriculture and Agri-Food, December 1st, 2020]

Madam Speaker, the industry has asked for clarity and certainty from the government as it relates to compensation, and we have provided just that. In August 2019, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food announced that $1.75 billion would be provided to compensate Canadian dairy farmers over eight years. Between December 2019 and January 2020, more than 10,000 dairy farmers received a cash payment of $345 million. The government has now set a schedule to deliver the remaining $1.4 billion through direct payments to farmers over a timeline of only three years, giving dairy producers greater certainty as they adapt to a new market environment.

The government has also announced $691 million for a 10-year program for the 4,800 Canadian chicken, egg, broiler hatching egg and turkey farmers. Collectively, this support will help dairy, poultry and egg producers adapt to new market conditions by replacing foregone income, increasing producer confidence in the future of supply-managed systems and providing producers with the opportunity to make strategic investments in their operations.

Through these investments, dairy, poultry and egg farmers will be able to improve their operations and be even more competitive, which will help—