John Barlow and Minister MacAulay had an exchange on Oct. 23
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
Last week’s first question period included a back and forth between Conservative Agriculture Critic John Barlow and Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Lawrence MacAulay.
On Oct. 23, Barlow described government measures that are increasing food costs.
“The Liberals’ front-of-pack warning labels on food will cost the industry $2 billion. Now the Prime Minister’s nonsensical package changes on produce will increase the price of food 30%. These are costs that will be passed directly to the consumer. Why is the Prime Minister increasing the cost of food by 30%?”
In response, Minister MacAulay reminded the House the government is working with the grocery industry to manage food costs, and that climate change is a contributing factor to higher prices.
“We understand the price of food is too high,” he said. “However, we need to deal with climate change, which is a major problem with the cost of food. There are floods and fires in British Columbia, and straw is worth $300 a bale across the Prairies. There is no possibility of keeping food prices down when we have extreme weather conditions.”
Barlow’s response to Minister MacAulay highlighted the domino effect the carbon tax has on farmers and food.
“It is this simple,” he said. “If the government increases costs to farmers, the price of food goes up. If the government increases costs to retailers, the price of food goes up. Why is the Prime Minister not worth the cost? It is because he is increasing food costs by 30%. Why is he?”
Ryan Turnbull, the parliamentary secretary to Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne, fielded the question.
Climate change affects food prices more than the price on pollution, he said.
“Mr. Speaker, we know that climate change has many times the impact on general and food inflation that the carbon price has, but we do not see Conservatives jumping up and down to raise ambitions on fighting climate change. Why is that? When Canadians want more action on climate change, the Conservatives are regressive and promote climate denial.”
Shelby Kramp-Neuman, the Conservative MP for Hastings-Lennox and Addington, also asked a question related to ag.
She asked when the government plans to scrap the carbon tax to support farmers because “fanatical, ideologically driven economic policy is crushing Canadian farmers.”
Turnbull responded to Kramp-Neuman.
He suggested Conservatives aren’t interested in affordability because they aren’t supporting government legislation.
“If Conservatives really care about grocery prices, then why are they not supporting our affordability bill in the House?” he said on Oct. 23. “They have stated repeatedly that they are going to vote against measures that would increase competition and bring down food prices for Canadians.”
On Oct. 24, Barlow asked more questions.
Barlow again called for the government to get rid of the carbon tax, and cited the delay of Bill C-234 in the Senate.
“Will the Prime Minister respect the will of this House and axe his farm-killing carbon tax?” he asked.
Minister MacAulay’s response reiterated the need to deal with climate as a part of supporting farmers.
“Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my hon. colleague’s concern, but the fact is that if we do not deal with the environment, we cannot do anything about any of the prices in agriculture,” he said.
Barlow’s second question mirrored the first, calling for the federal government to remove the carbon tax and asking why the Liberals are “working so hard to bankrupt farmers.”
He cited a Canadian Federation of Independent Business survey which indicated a priority for members “was to pass a Conservative bill to remove the carbon tax from on-farm fuels,” Barlow said.
Adam van Koeverden, the parliamentary secretary to the minister of environment and to the minister of sport, answered Barlow.
He said some Conservative MPs are unwilling to identify climate change in the House “because the Conservative leader has decided climate change does not exist,” he said.
MPs didn’t ask any direct questions related to agriculture on Oct. 25.
On Oct. 26, John Aldag, the Liberal MP for Cloverdale-Langley City, asked Minister MacAulay to update the House on how the government is supporting Canadian farmers affected by extreme weather.
The minister reminded his colleagues of the recent government support.
“Last week, we announced $219 million of federal funding to support our western Canadian farmers with costs related to drought conditions and wildfires. We have stood by and will continue to make sure we stand by our Canadian farmers and ranchers,” he said.
On Oct. 27, John Barlow asked the first questions during question period.
He outlined how the prime minister changed course and is pausing the carbon tax in Atlantic Canada while the Liberals stall a bill to exempt on-farm fuels from the carbon tax, and asked if the government will scrap the carbon tax for all Canadians.
Francis Drouin, the parliamentary secretary to the minister of agriculture, responded.
He accused the Conservatives of not doing enough to support farmers.
“When it came time to decrease funding to farmers, the Leader of the Opposition sat on his hands at the cabinet table,” Drouin said. “When it came time to increase funding to farmers, all Conservative MPs sat on their hands. On Bill C-234, if it was so important for the Leader of the Opposition, he should not have sat on his hands but worked a little harder.”