Speech

From the Prime Minister's Web Site (http://www.pm.gc.ca/)

---

Prime Minister stands up for Canadian farmers

April 6, 2006
Ottawa, Ontario

Notes for an Address by
The Right Honourable Stephen Harper
Prime Minister of Canada For Delivery During an Emergency Debate on the Crisis in Canadian Agriculture


House of Commons


PLEASE CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY

Introduction

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for the opportunity to participate in today’s debate.

To discuss a matter of vital importance

Both to those who work in this vitally important sector of our economy,

And to all Canadians.

For as one of the protest signs on Parliament Hill yesterday stated, “Farmers Feed Cities”.

So the future of Canadian agriculture is clearly a matter that impacts all of us.

Listening to Canadian Farmers

Yesterday, Mr. Speaker, thousands of frustrated farmers converged on Parliament Hill to let Members of this House know that the status quo they’ve been forced to endure for all too long is completely unacceptable.

Well, I’m standing in this House today to let farmers know that Canada’s new Government agrees with them.

And to tell farmers that in the weeks and months to come we are going to take action on supporting Canada’s agriculture sector.

For our Government cares deeply about agriculture.

And we have deep insight into the problems farmers face – in part because so many of our caucus members are from rural Canada.

In my own case, I have a family connection to agriculture through my mother and my wife - both of whom grew up on farms.

And in fact, members of our family are still working in agriculture.

My Government’s direction for agriculture policy will be shaped by MPs, people from rural areas across the country who have been deeply involved in farming for their entire lives.

We are stronger because of this representation and frankly, have a better understanding of the difficult times facing many farm families today than the previous Government did.

In the last Parliament, almost every time an issue related to agriculture was raised in this House, it was because of our efforts as the Official Opposition.

We stood up for Canadian farmers because we are committed to conserving what is great about this country and our traditions.

And nothing, Mr. Speaker, is more important than the family farm.

The farm has been a critical element in the formation of our nation.

And you really can’t talk about sovereignty as a nation if we don’t have a strong role in the production of our food.

Standing up for Canadian Agriculture

That is why this Government is going to stand up for a strong, vibrant farm sector that provides security of income to families dependent on farming, and food security for all other Canadian families.

To this end, one of the first acts of this Government was to begin getting the $755 million promised by the previous Government, but never delivered, into the hands of struggling grains and oilseeds farmers.

Unlike the previous Government’s record – which was one of neglect and inaction – Canada’s New Government has a real plan to support Canadians farmer.

For instance, we want to reform the current insufficient farm stabilization program and introduce a separate disaster relief program.

Quite simply, the existing CAIS isn’t working – a fact that Canadian farmers know only too well.

And that is why this Government wants to replace CAIS, and introduce a new, simpler, much more responsive program.

The new program should properly address the costs of production, market revenue, and inventory evaluation.

We’re also going to pitch in when the unexpected strikes by creating a fund for disaster relief assistance above and beyond the income stabilization program.

During the recent election, we promised to commit an additional $500 million every year to farm support programs.

A promise we will carry through on.

And let me be clear, this will be new money on top of existing agriculture programs, not reallocation.

This Government is also going to stand up for those farmers in supply managed sectors.

We will ensure that agriculture industries that choose to operate under domestic supply management remain viable.

This Government will always support supply management’s goal of delivering high quality produce to consumers for a fair price with a reasonable return to the producer.

We’re also going to readdress what has long been a sore point for many western grain farmers – not having the freedom to make their own marketing and transportation decisions.

This Government is going to empower these producers by allowing them to decide for themselves if they want to participate in the Canadian Wheat Board or make alternate arrangements.

No discussion of agriculture in this country would be complete, Mr. Speaker, without mention of diversification - as in the longer run, Canadian farmers are going to have to begin looking for new market opportunities.

And this Government is committed to facilitating this necessary diversification of the industry.

As those who make their living from the land already know, there is a fast growing market for agriculture products in the area of renewable fuels such as ethanol and bio-diesel.

My Government intends to merge environmental goals with those of agriculture by requiring an average of 5 percent renewable fuel content in Canadian fuel by 2010.

This will not only help to lower emissions and reduce greenhouse gases, but also give consumers a buffer against rising petroleum prices.

By encouraging these fuels we will create new incentives for much-needed investment in rural Canada.

And finally, Mr. Speaker, this Government is going to get serious about pressing Canada’s trade issues on the international stage.

We believe that all of our agriculture sector must be protected by strong international - not just free - but also, fair trade.

In order to secure free and fair trade, this Government will support rules-based trading systems like the WTO which we believe are especially crucial to interests of country’s like our own that depend on exports.

The future of Canadian agriculture and agri-food products is also dependent on enhanced market access.

To that end, we will support the phased reduction of all trade-distorting barriers and the elimination of all agriculture export subsidies.

Conclusion

Simply put, Canada’s New Government is going to go to the wall on the issues that matters to our farmers and rural communities.

In the recent election campaign, we made a clear commitment to stand up for Canadian communities.

And standing up for Canadian communities means standing up for all communities – be they urban or rural.

For far too long in this country the interests of rural communities have been ignored by those in power.

And so I stand in this House today, Mr. Speaker, to let rural Canadians know that that era of neglect ended on January 23.

No longer will the concerns of rural Canada fall on deaf ears.

Rural Canadians from coast to coast to coast finally have an ally in Ottawa.

I do not say that we can fix the neglect of a decade overnight, and I know that our producers do not expect that, but in the weeks, months and years ahead, our government will move ahead, not with mere words but with actions.

This Government, with our Agriculture Minister leading the charge, is going to give Canadian farmers the respect they have been denied them so long.

For the first time in 13 years Ottawa is going to listen to Canadian farmers and begin to deliver results they deserve.

Thank you.

---

The Prime Minister’s Office - Communications
[Note: You are receiving this e-mail for information only, and because you have subscribed to our distribution list. To modify your subscription or to have your name removed from the list, go to: (http://www.pm.gc.ca/eng/subscribe.asp?login)]