House of Commons Debates VOLUME 147 Ï NUMBER 084 Ï 2nd SESSION Ï 41st PARLIAMENT OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD) Monday, May 12, 2014 Speaker: The Honourable Andrew Scheer CONTENTS (Table of Contents appears at back of this issue.) 5171 HOUSE OF COMMONS Monday, May 12, 2014 The House met at 11 a.m. really done very little on that front, and we have relied on initiatives from the private sector or other levels of government. For example, one of the huge success stories in my own province Prayers is the Peak of the Market, which is an organization that has done exceptionally well in the province of Manitoba. It has provided educational advertising and a much higher sense of public awareness PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS because of its actions. Ï (1105) Peak of the Market contributes immensely to non-profit organizations and educates the population as a whole in terms of [English] the types of vegetables that they receive. Most importantly, not only does it promote good, quality product for the table, but it always PROMOTION OF LOCAL FOODS ACT provides a wonderful opportunity for farmers in Manitoba to The House resumed from March 27 consideration of the motion participate in a program, and working as a collective we are able to that Bill C-539, An Act to promote local foods, be read the second see that much more in terms of market share. This is critically time and referred to a committee. important, because it helps preserve the family farm and at the same time provides a world-class product. I am a little biased, but I would Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Winnipeg North, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, it suggest we produce some of the best agricultural products in the is with pleasure that I rise today to talk about what I think is an world. important concept and idea. At the end of the day, Canadians would respond very positively to the concept of a pro-Canadian food I think of a product like Manitoba-grown potatoes. We have had strategy. I think it has a lot of appeal and is something we should be recognition throughout North America as one of the better producers moving more towards. of potato. French fries are a big thing in our province, not to mention There is a role for the Government of Canada to play, even at Old Dutch potato chips, which are manufactured in Winnipeg North. some of the very basic levels. I always find it interesting how much I think there would be a very healthy competition between the P.E.I. money the Government of Canada will spend on advertising. We spud and the Manitoba spud. spend literally tens of millions of tax dollars on useless advertising. A good example, which I have used before, is the economic action At the end of the day, whether it is Peak of the Market or our plan that the government tends to promote at a phenomenal cost in farmers' direct sales, they have done a phenomenal job in ensuring tax dollars. I would suggest it is an absolute waste. We could use that we are able to produce a quality product. some of those tax dollars in a more productive fashion, and this is a good example of where I believe the government could be spending The Government of Canada could be playing a role in this area. I smarter in terms of those advertising dollars. used the potato as just one example of where the Government of Canada could do more with respect to advertising. As opposed to Specifically, when we talk about developing a pro-Canadian food advertising the economic action plan, why does the government not strategy, part of that no doubt has to incorporate advertising with invest some of those dollars in promoting locally grown products, no respect to some basic information that would be wonderful to know. matter what region the products come from? For example, how many Canadians know what types of vegetables are actually grown here in Canada? When is the season for I remember driving down a highway a number of years back and strawberries? To what degree do we participate in promotion and seeing signs inviting people to pick their own strawberries. Ice cream educating our population about our agricultural communities, our buckets could be filled with strawberries. At certain times of the farmers, and the incredible work they do in terms of providing food year, some grocery stores advertise discounted prices for blueberries for our tables? and so forth. We need to understand and appreciate the importance of healthy food. People's diets can be influenced by the products they Once all is said and done, I believe the government will be found purchase in different seasons of the year and how they can store lacking and wanting in terms of being able to educate people and certain products during the winter months. So much more could be provide a higher sense of public awareness. The Conservatives have done to educate people. 5172 COMMONS DEBATES May 12, 2014 Private Members' Business Canadians want to contribute in a more wholesome way toward By buying locally, we can optimize people's access to the highest quality foods what they are eating. They are trying to get a better understanding of because quality control on imported products is not subject to reciprocity requirements with respect to production standards. the food industry. I myself have tried to get a better understanding of local industries beyond vegetables and fruits. These are the basic elements that I want to bring to your attention in connection with this bill. The chicken and pork industries are two important industries. A good percentage of the chickens processed in Manitoba stay in my I would like to thank Mr. Villeneuve for providing such an province. The agriculture critic for the Liberal Party came to my excellent summary of why buying local foods is good for our province and we had a wonderful opportunity to tour hatcheries and regional economies, not to mention our agricultural sector, food egg producers and visited a processor. Thousands of chickens are sovereignty and the environment. processed on a daily basis. Even though the bulk of them are used for local consumption, some of them are exported. Mr. Villeneuve supports this bill, just like many other organiza- tions. I would like to list just a few such organizations that people in The pork industry in Manitoba processes millions of pigs on an my region think are very important: the Association des marchés annual basis. The agriculture critic and I toured places like the Maple publics du Québec, the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, the Leaf plant. We also had the opportunity to visit some pork farms. Union des producteurs agricoles, Solidarité rurale du Québec and This is an incredible industry that provides a high-quality product. Equiterre. The list goes on and on. This industry could continue to grow if we did more in terms of diversification, education, and consumer awareness. Our high- These organizations represent the people in our communities who quality product could continue to grow, and that growth would are out there, close to the land. They realize that this type of bill is ultimately add more jobs and value to our economy. I would argue necessary if we want to ensure that the buy local movement really that the final product would be that much better as well. takes root. I also want to comment on our dairy industry. This industry has I would like to talk about the research conducted by Equiterre in done exceptionally well through supply management, something we 2011, which is laid out in a document titled “Eating at home”. are committed to maintaining. This industry provides quality milk, cheese, eggs, and so forth, the essential foods that Canadians need. I would invite those interested in this topic to visit the organization's website, where the research is available in its entirety. If we want to be fair, we need to recognize the importance of the This study highlights the fact that Canadians want to eat local. In role farmers play in our food industry. We should have a strategy in fact, three out of four Canadians want to. It is also important to place that would not only recognize their important role but would define what “eating local” means. also encourage and enhance the great potential for growth in that The survey reveals that in situations of choice, Canadian consumers prefer to buy industry. a domestic product, even from a faraway province, rather than an American product Ï (1110) that was grown nearer by. Not just a question of kilometres, buying local is an act that is motivated by political rather than environmental concerns. When respondents were [Translation] questioned on ideas associated with local foods, 94%...of them emphasized that they encouraged the local economy. Ms. Mylène Freeman (Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, NDP): Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to speak to the bill to I find that very interesting. When I see those statistics, I am proud promote local foods, which was introduced by my colleague from that Canadians want to support our own producers so that our Beauharnois—Salaberry. communities will be stronger and more successful. Unfortunately, there is a disconnect between what we want to do and what we Before I begin, I would like to thank my colleague for introducing actually do. this bill. This bill introduces a pan-Canadian local foods strategy and a policy to encourage federal institutions to purchase those foods. It That is why this study also looked at the barriers to buying local shows leadership by addressing an issue that is very important to the foods.