The federal ag minister and his Conservative counterpart had an exchange on Oct. 1
Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Lawrence MacAulay and his Conservative counterpart, John Barlow, had an exchange during the Oct. 1 question period.
Citing data from Dr. Sylvain Charlebois, Barlow indicated that wholesale food prices are up 34 per cent in Canada because of the carbon tax and asked for the prime minister to call an election.
Minister MacAulay’s answer connected food prices to climate change.
“Our farmers face devastating storms like hurricane Fiona, which tore down barns and killed cattle,” the minister said. “We have floods and fires right across the country. This is one of the reasons food prices are so high.”
That same theme carried into Oct. 2.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said Charlebois “blames the increase on the carbon taxes placed on farmers and truckers, who bring us our food.”
Poilievre then called for a carbon tax election so let Canadians vote against the carbon tax.
In response, Prime Minister Trudeau highlighted the challenges climate change bring to farmers.
“Farmers across this country are feeling the impacts of the extreme weather events that come from climate change,” he said. “Whether it is drought, wildfires or floods, we are seeing the costs of climate change every single day.”
Poilievre continued to hammer the government on the carbon tax and its effects on the food supply chain.
The tax on the farmer and trucker means higher prices for consumers, he said, adding that the Canadian Trucking Alliance estimates the carbon tax will cost $20,000 for every long-haul truck this year.
Trudeau replied by saying Poilievre has nothing to offer Canadians but slogans and tax breaks for the wealthy.
Later in question period on Oct. 2, Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet asked the prime minister about Bill C-282, which protects supply management from future trade deals.
The bill is in the senate, and Blanchet previously gave the government a deadline of Oct. 29 to pass it and an old age security bill, or the Bloc would work to topple the minority government.
“It is his senators, the ones he appointed, who are standing in the way,” Blanchet told the House. “Will he instruct them to respect democracy and our choices as elected representatives?”
The prime minister’s response touched on two things.
First, that the government is committed to protecting supply management.
“This is what we are doing,” he said. “That is what we will always do when negotiating any future free trade agreements. We will protect supply management.”
Trudeau also reminded the House that the senate is independent.
“We are going to allow democracy to function without interference,” he said.
On Oct. 3, the Bloc directed more questions about Bill C-282 to the government.
Yves Perron, the Bloc’s ag critic, asked if the Liberals would ensure the bill is passed through the senate by Oct. 29.
Jean-Yves Duclos, the minister of public services and procurement, replied.
He reminded the House that it was a Liberal government that brought in supply management, and that this government supports farmers and voted in favour of Bill C-282.
He also repeated that the senate is independent but should carefully consider the House’s point of view.
Additional questions about Bill C-282 came from the Bloc on Oct. 4.
Gabriel Ste-Marie, the MP for Joilette, said the senate is “thumbing its nose” at farmers because it hasn’t passed the bill yet despite having support from every party.
“Will the Liberals ask them to stop?” she said.
Francis Drouin, the parliamentary secretary to Minister MacAulay, said MPs are waiting for the other chamber to pass the bill, and encouraged Conservatives to call their colleagues in the senate.