Pierre Lemieux

[May 27th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I thank you for this opportunity to speak about what our government is doing to preserve the safety of Canada's food supply.

To answer some of the comments made by my colleague, the Subcommittee on Food Safety is going very well. We are working in co-operation. The committee is responsible for its own operations. This is the first I have heard of complaints regarding how often the committee is meeting. We are the ones who offered to extend committee meetings, and we have done so.

It was interesting to hear my colleague's comment. She only wants opposition witnesses invited. There are other witnesses other than opposition witnesses. We feel the subcommittee needs to hear from all Canadians, not just those from whom the opposition would wish to hear.

Our government is committed to keeping the food we eat safe and ensuring Canadians and consumers around the world have confidence in the products our farmers grow and in the food on our grocery store shelves. We are reinvesting in food safety after the Liberal spending cuts in the nineties. Under the Liberals, food safety funding was cut in 1994. It was cut again in 1995. If that were not bad enough, they cut it again in 2005.

Under our government, the CFIA budget has only increased and CFIA has more resources available to it than ever before. Food safety funding, which was cut by the previous Liberal government, has been increased now by $113 million.

Regarding listeriosis, we look forward to seeing the report from the independent investigator appointed by the Prime Minister. We want to improve on food safety where we can. We have already begun implementing changes to make our food safety system stronger.

Immediately following the 2008 listeriosis outbreak, the CFIA acted to assess and improve industry practices for the sanitation of equipment used to manufacture ready-to-eat meat and introduced new procedures for sanitation of plant areas where ready-to-eat meats were processed.

The CFIA has introduced new inspection procedures to ensure that all company microbiological results for listeria are reviewed by inspectors on a daily basis and any corrective actions are taken by the company if positive results are found.

This is part of our compliance verification system, or CVS. Some, including the Liberals, have criticized this system, but Bob Kingston, the president of the Agricultural Union which represents inspectors, told the following to the food safety committee, “I also want to make clear the compliance verification system as a system, we don't fault it...Having a checklist scheduled approach to verifying that the people you're regulating are doing what they say they are doing, we can't see that as a bad thing”.

The CFIA also undertook a review of its directives regarding the control of listeria and ready-to-eat meat production and this review resulted in new directives, which were published on February 27. The new directives require that industry implement environmental testing of food contact surfaces to complement the end product tests they now conduct. The CFIA has also increased the frequency of its own verification testing of finished product and complemented this with verification testing of food contact services.

When asked if it was a mistake to eliminate environmental testing, which the Liberals did, and whether that testing could have prevented the outbreak, CFIA inspection supervisor from the affected Maple Leaf plant, Mr. Don Irons, told the food safety subcommittee “we could have possibly”.

Food safety is the CFIA's highest priority and the requirements for food safety are more stringent now than ever before.

[Agriculture, May 15th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, let us talk about cash for farmers. Our government is working hard to deliver approximately $1 billion of government-backed credit to previously ineligible farmers. The Liberals said that they would support this vital legislation. Now they are turning their backs on Canadian producers.

Yesterday the member for Malpeque filibustered in committee and brought an end to the debate. Here is what he said about Bill C-29, which we were supposed to discuss and pass in committee. He said, “Do you want to get Bill C-29 through the House before the spring or not because it's not going to go through today”.

He should support our farmers.

[Agriculture, May 15th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, this government is committed to our hog farmers. We are taking action for our red meat producers. We are, for example, launching a WTO trade action against the COOL initiatives in the United States.

Regarding hog producers and financial incentives, we are working closely with the producers and with the provincial government to serve them best.

[Business of Supply, May 14th, 2009]

Madam Chair, I would like to start by reminding this House of the assistance this Conservative government has given to Canadian pork producers during these tough times. The international scientific community, including the OIE and the WHO, agrees that influenza A(H1N1) has nothing to do with food safety.

We will continue reassuring Canadian consumers and our international trade partners that Canadian pork is safe.

The government is determined to ensure the success of Canadian agriculture. The government does everything it can to make sure Canadian farmers succeed and to ensure a prosperous future for the whole sector. It puts farmers first in every decision it makes in agriculture.

Our formula is simple and it works. We listen to farmers, we work with farmers, and then we deliver the bankable, practical results that farmers need.

The minister has been on the road a lot these past months, and his efforts to build trade relations are indeed paying off. We signed a deal in India to safeguard market access for our pulse producers. We landed a breakthrough deal in Hong Kong, which can create export opportunities worth some $26 million for Canadian beef producers. We have gone to the Middle East to reopen markets such as Saudi Arabia and Jordan to Canadian beef, for the first time in five years.

Step by step, the Conservative government and the minister are reopening markets to Canadian producers, which previous Liberal governments and the former parliamentary secretary, the hon. member for Malpeque, ignored and neglected.

The strategy is already building momentum, and it is sending a strong message to the rest of the global community that it is time their consumers once again enjoy our top quality Canadian products.

We want Canadian farmers and processors to get the credit they deserve for the high-quality products they bring to market. Our agricultural exporters are innovative and competitive, and we are working with them to expand their markets.

On April 7, we launched a new trade and market development program, part of the new growing forward agricultural framework. This program is part of growing forward, the policy framework for agriculture. The goal is to make sure exporters have the information and support they need to sell more products in more markets. By focusing attention on how we market our products, we are helping to build demand for Canadian goods and enhancing our competitive position.

In January, we announced the establishment of a market access secretariat. This measure came directly out of the recommendations made by the beef-cattle and pork value chain roundtables.

The secretariat will better coordinate government initiatives with producers and the industry and will help keep pace with international competitors. The creation of the secretariat has been very well received by producers.

Agricultural trade is critical to Canada's economy and prosperity. In 2008 our agriculture and agri-food exports were over $38 billion. Importantly, Canada's trade in agriculture and agri-food products contributed $11.1 billion to our trade surplus. Each of those dollars means jobs and livelihoods for Canadians right here at home. That is why when we as a government take measures to support agricultural trade, we are not just helping farmers. We are helping all Canadians.

This government is working through the World Trade Organization. We are working one-on-one with our trading partners to build bilateral and regional agreements, and we are working with industry, all with the common goal of building our agricultural trade and opening up new opportunities for our farmers and processors.

At the WTO, we remain committed to pursuing an ambitious outcome for the benefit of Canadian farmers and their families. We want an outcome that establishes a more level international playing field and provides new opportunities for our producers, processors and exporters. Our objectives at the WTO remain the elimination of all forms of export subsidies and the substantial reduction of and strengthened disciplines on trade-distorting domestic support, and real and significant improvements to market access.

Complimenting our efforts at the WTO, this Conservative government is also pursuing an active regional and bilateral trade negotiation agenda. In recent months, Canada has signed free trade agreements with the countries of the European Free Trade Association as well as Peru and Colombia. The agreements with Peru and Colombia will benefit a wide range of agriculture and agri-food stakeholders such as the grains, oilseeds, pulses, pork and beef exporters.

We have also completed negotiations with Jordan that promise other markets. Our negotiations with Korea are progressing well, and signing an agreement with that country could significantly benefit the agricultural sector.

In addition, the recent launch of official negotiations with the European Union bodes well for Canadian agriculture.

The European Union is Canada's second-largest trade and investment partner, as the $6.3 billion in bilateral trade in agri-food in 2008 attests. We want to strengthen that relationship and make it more profitable for our farmers.

Through these negotiations, Canada looks forward to exploring new and expanded opportunities for Canadian agricultural exporters and farmers. As we move forward, we will continue to consult closely with the entire agriculture industry regarding how best to advance Canada's interests.

The links between Canada and our largest trading partner, the United States, are deep, diverse and complex. We share a common border that stretches across nearly 9,000 kilometres of land and three oceans. We share the world's largest trading relationship. It has been said that every minute, $1 million in trade happens somewhere along the Canada-U.S. border. The free flow of goods is critical to our agricultural sector.

Canada's farmers depend on free and unfettered trade for their livelihoods. Our trade relationship reaps many rewards for Canada's agricultural sector. Unlike previous Liberal governments, this Conservative government is working to improve our historic relationship with the U.S. through a respectful dialogue instead of the childish attacks and insults. In doing so, Canada's Conservative government is working to improve and expand U.S. markets for cattle, hog and other agricultural products.

We are pulling out all the stops to fight mandatory country of origin labelling, or COOL, in the United States. Mandatory COOL will stifle trade with the U.S., especially for Canada's cattle and hog industries. We have consistently made it clear that current mandatory COOL regulations unfairly disadvantage Canadian producers. We are now requesting a further round of WTO consultations with the U.S. regarding mandatory country of original labelling.

In taking this step, we are defending the interests of Canadian producers as we have always done and will continue to do.

These consultations are our opportunity to talk with the American authorities and find a mutually acceptable solution.

We will work tirelessly until this issue is resolved in our producers' best interests.

There are challenges facing the industry, but the long-term signs are positive.

I would like to ask the Minister of Agriculture if he agrees with this positive outlook for Canadian agriculture?

[Canadian Agricultural Loans Act, May 11th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague and his party for supporting this bill, which is very important to our farmers. I can assure my colleague that our bill will benefit farmers.

Earlier, my colleague made some comments about the consultations. He mentioned that two organizations had not been involved. I would like to say here in this House that we conducted extensive consultations across Canada. I have a five-page list of individuals, organizations, associations and agencies that took part in the consultations. There comes a time for action, and our government is taking action. It is not like it was with the Liberals. The Liberals held big meetings and endless consultations, but did not take action. As a government, we are taking action, and we are seeing the results this morning: a viable bill that will help our farmers.

I would like to ask my colleague a question. He knows two organizations that were not involved in the consultations. Has he gotten in touch with them to ask them to contact us about attending meetings? Has he gotten in touch with them by email or otherwise? Our doors are always open.

[Canadian Agricultural Loans Act, May 11th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I listened to my colleague with close interest and what a confused speech. His opening position was that he supports our changes to FIMCLA, as he should. We are talking about increasing the amount of government-backed loans to farmers from $71 million to $292 million, which is great news for farmers. We are also talking about increasing access to capital for our co-operatives.

However, he then went on for the next 20 minutes with a litany of complaints and negative comments. We are trying to provide increased access to credit for farmers so they can buy the next generation of farms and keep the farms in the family, and he comes up with this wild theory that we are doing this for the credit of the banks. Who would believe that? It is certainly not the farmers with whom we consulted.

Can my colleague not just admit that this is good legislation for our farmers? Will he not just stand in his place and say that this is good and he is for it?

[Canadian Agricultural Loans Act, May 11th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to highlight that we want to see our agricultural co-operatives succeed. By putting in place measures like the ones that we are proposing today will help the co-operatives. It will help that sector of the agricultural community to thrive. Giving them more access to credit will only help them move forward.

[Canadian Agricultural Loans Act, May 11th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague raises an excellent point. Is this a priority for farmers? It certainly is a priority for farmers.

The future of farming is a huge concern for our farmers all across Canada. The member quite rightly pointed out that both the minister and I have been travelling across Canada meeting with farmers from all the different agricultural commodities to talk about the future of farming and the challenges they face today and the challenges that they will be facing in the future.

Many farmers operate family farms and they feel that their family farms are at risk. One of the challenges they face is the younger generation having access to enough capital in order acquire the family farm. This is exactly what this legislation is aimed at. We are talking about increasing loan limits from $250,000 to an aggregate of $500,000.

As I mentioned before, we want to increase the loan rate for beginning farmers from 80% to 90%. This makes a big difference. For example, if a farm operation has an inherent value of one million dollars, a new farmer under the legislation as it exists today would have to borrow up to $800,000. He would still have to come up $200,000 himself. However, once this legislation passes, he would only need to have $100,000. We are going to be halving the amount of money that he would have to put forward to acquire a farm from another family member.

Once again, the co-operatives play such an instrumental role in the health and vitality of our agricultural sector. We have worked with co-operatives and co-operatives want greater accessibility to this type of financial resource that we are presenting here today.

Therefore, once again, I urge my colleagues in the opposition parties to join with me in voting for the rapid acceleration of this proposed legislation through the House for the benefit of our farmers.

[Canadian Agricultural Loans Act, May 11th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to say that consultations are very important. We worked very hard as a government to consult extensively right across Canada. It is not always possible to hear from all the cooperatives or associations when we hold a consultation in a particular location, but our doors are certainly always open. I am always available to our farmers, our cooperatives and our associations, and the minister is as well, both here in Ottawa and across the country. Letters and other forms of communication are also very important.

We consulted extensively, and we are delivering the results today with our bill. I am very happy to have the support of the Bloc Québécois, because we will need the support of every party here to make sure that the bill is implemented as soon as possible.

[Canadian Agricultural Loans Act, May 11th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I want to recap some of the highlights of these wonderful initiatives for farmers. We are talking about taking the loan rate for beginning farmers from 80% to 90%, so that they can borrow up to 90% in order to allow for the transfer of farms among generations. This is good legislation for our farmers.

If we could just have the cooperation of my colleagues in the opposition, this bill could be moved through the House and implemented before the summer. This is exactly the kind of programming that our farmers are looking for. When I am in my riding, they talk about difficulty with access to credit. They have very real bills to pay. When they want to save their family farm and move it from an older generation to a younger generation, access to credit is a very real concern.

This is the type of legislation that they have been asking for. I have not even touched on co-operatives here. We have worked very closely with co-operatives and they want greater access to credit as well. That is what we are offering here. I would invite my colleague to support this legislation and its rapid implementation.