House of Commons Debates VOLUME 148 Ï NUMBER 182 Ï 1st SESSION Ï 42nd PARLIAMENT OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD) Monday, May 29, 2017 Speaker: The Honourable Geoff Regan CONTENTS (Table of Contents appears at back of this issue.) 11503 HOUSE OF COMMONS Monday, May 29, 2017 The House met at 11 a.m. to import wheat from Upper Canada. There was discussion of a wheat standard, which would link the amount of money printed to the wheat holdings of the colony. It was a novel and unique idea at the time. Early settlers were efficient and able to produce more than Prayer they needed for their own needs. PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS Ï (1105) [English] CONTRIBUTION OF RANCHERS AND FARMERS Mr. Martin Shields (Bow River, CPC) moved: The western part of Canada was populated in the late 19th century and early 20th century. It soon became a major producer of food. That, in the opinion of the House, the government should recognize that the ongoing contribution of ranchers and farmers as stewards of the land and conservationists is Palliser's Triangle, or the area of the Prairies in southeastern Alberta part of our history, proudly shared by all Canadians, and should consider establishing and southern Saskatchewan today, was named after the British policies which would support and encourage the development of private farm and captain, John Palliser. He explored the prairie region in the 1840s for ranch land conservation and restoration projects. the British government, and he was not impressed with the potential He said: Mr. Speaker, it is a great honour and privilege for me to of the Prairies for settlement and agricultural practices. In fact, his rise today in the House of Commons to give the first speech on my report stated that no one should settle here. The Canadian Motion No. 108. I am looking forward to working with all my government later built the railroad across the Prairies, and settlement colleagues from across Canada, from every party present in the expanded significantly. In one year alone after the turn of the House, to pass what I believe is this important motion. century, 1.4 million immigrants arrived in Canada, and for decades many people homesteaded across the Prairies. If only Palliser could Canada has a long and storied agricultural history. Because of see what kind of society we have developed there now. The Prairies technology advances in Canadian agricultural practice, this country are often referred to as the breadbasket of Canada. has become one of the biggest food producers in the world. That is one of the reasons that Canada has always played a very important role in the world, and why we will play an even bigger role in the future. There is a need for healthy, affordable, nutritious food. Having access to such things, along with clean drinking water, assures that the human body can meet its very basic physiological needs. Canada is a major contributor to ensuring that the world is fed. With the world population expected to grow by billions in the coming decades, the issue of meeting the global demand for Today, we have significant agricultural sectors in many parts of nutritious food is going to become an even more pressing concern. the country. Many farms in southwestern and eastern Ontario are Canada's farmers will be playing a critical role to ensuring that we some of the lushest farmland in Canada. There are many crops can rise up to this challenge and meet the demands of a hungry grown there, like soybeans and corn, and there are many other farms, world. like dairy and poultry. Quebec is similar, with dairy farms being prominent. The Atlantic provinces were also very active in Canada's story would not be complete without talking about its agriculture, both then and today. For example, we know very well agricultural history. Indigenous peoples have had a long history of that P.E.I. potatoes are among the best in the world, and agricultural practices in Canada. The first French settlers started Newfoundland and Labrador and New Brunswick are well known agricultural practices in the Maritimes and in Quebec. With the for their cranberry and blueberry farms. British Columbia has an British contribution, as their empire grew, so did their need for food. incredible variety of agricultural sectors. It is well known for its fruit Wheat production ramped up in what was New France, and orchards, as is Nova Scotia. The wine industry of Ontario and British continued to grow after the British settled North America. Upper Columbia have now expanded to other provinces. The industry is Canada had a significant wheat economy. Lower Canada even began now coast to coast. 11504 COMMONS DEBATES May 29, 2017 Private Members' Business With all of this in mind, I am presenting this motion today to my or rancher wakes up in the morning dreaming of ways to wreck their colleagues here in the House, and to all Canadians. It is important to land. They get up thinking of new ways that they can improve it. recognize that our Canadian ranch and farm families are among the They do this because otherwise their land quality declines. It is in most environmentally minded people in any sector of the Canadian their best interest to consider how they can improve soil quality, economy. Farmers will always have the environment as their number improve the quality of the product they produce, and how they can one concern. Some of the best conservationists are ranchers. Their do it while minimizing their impacts on the environment. ranches form a major part of the backbone of the economy of much of Alberta. They are also a major part of the Bow River riding, the constituents I am so humbled to represent here in Ottawa. When it comes to conservation, I would like to speak about my I would like to speak about some of the technology used by experience serving as a member of the House of Commons Standing farmers in the area I represent. For example, one of the Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development. The environmentally friendly technologies and practices used is called committee does a lot of great work and has thus far produced two no-till agriculture. No-till agriculture means avoiding the old- reports in Parliament. I am pleased to say that both of these reports fashioned way of disturbing the soil through annual tillage. This were unanimous, meaning that they carry more weight with has numerous environmental benefits, and it can also greatly stakeholders and the government. improve the sustainability of farming operations at limited cost to the farmer. Not only is it better for the soil, it saves the amount of water needed for farming, because soil that has been used through no-till farming has better water-retention qualities. This means less runoff and wasted water. The last report that it had the honour of releasing in March was the report on protected areas and conservation within Canada. One of the Ï (1110) opportunities that this study afforded committee members was the When it comes to wetlands on farm property, our Canadian opportunity to travel to many communities, including some in farmers have been innovative and smart in dealing with the southern Alberta. We met on the land with a rancher and farmer. He challenges of protecting these critical riparian habitats while at the was able to discuss with us the extensive conservation projects they same time continuing to farm their land. There is also the use of are working on. The ranch we visited is just outside of Cochrane and cover crops, which sole purpose is to enrich and rejuvenate the soil is called the Quarter Circle X Ranch. The owners and operators are so that it can be used for years and years to come. These are just a John and Tracey Buckley. They, as many ranchers and farmers, have couple of examples where our innovative Canadian farmers are made a firm commitment to sustainability in how they deliver their leading the world in protecting our environment while ensuring that product to the marketplace. They are a testament to how ranchers the Canadian agriculture and agrifood sector is sustainable, operate in communities across Canada. An important fact to environmentally friendly, and economical. remember is that over 98% of Canadian farms are family owned and operated, even today. These small-business owners are often the Another technological advance over the last number of decades backbone of the economy, in countless rural economies across the has been with the use of chemicals by farmers. They have become country. safer and they are used less. This means that everyone, from the farmer to the business to the consumer, and throughout the supply chain, is benefiting from these new technologies. Our ranch families are expert conservationists. They survive and thrive by ensuring that Canadians want access to affordable, nutritious food, and their the land they use on a regular basis for their livelihoods is preference will no doubt always be food that comes from Canadian sustainable and healthy so that it may be passed on to future farm operations. Ranchers play a major part in this work. They take generations. This means that they are good stewards of the land that care of the ever-important rangeland. Having healthy rangeland leads they tend to. Often on these pastures and ranch areas, there are to a number of very positive outcomes and impacts on the natural significant varieties of wildlife and vegetation. Ranchers and farmers environment. Our ranchers are able to manage the land, especially by understand the biospheres of their land base and the surrounding the use of cattle, to ensure they are conserving this important land.