On Parliament Hill

As the Member of Parliament for Provencher, I know that agriculture plays a very significant role in the communities of Southeast Manitoba. These farmers not only help feed the world, they also create jobs and make substantial contributions to our local economies.

Thanks to their hard work, Canadian farmers are responsible for over twenty billion dollars in exports. Although this is an impressive accomplishment, continued success will be hampered if they cannot get their world-class grain to market. That is the case right now.

For instance, this year’s Western Canadian crop, at 76 million tonnes, is 50% higher than average. This volume is putting significant pressure on Western Canada’s grain handling and transportation system. As the Government continues to work with farmers to invest in research and innovation, higher yields will continue to be the new reality across Canada.

At the same time, we need the capacity for this sector and others to meet our growth plans for the future.

To increase the movement of grain to market, our Government, under an Order in Council made on March 7, 2014, requires that the railways (CP and CNR) be required to increase the volumes carried each week to a combined target of 1,000,000 metric tonnes per week. They will have four weeks to be in compliance.

That same day, Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz announced that the Government will introduce legislation, when Parliament returns, to establish measures that ensure Canada maintains a world-class logistics system that gets agricultural products to market more efficiently.

Our Government is aware that the current grain logistics system is not meeting demand and we are taking concrete action to ensure the livelihoods of farmers. By making the Order in Council and working to introduce legislation, our Government continues to act in the best interests of our farmers while ensuring Canada maintains our global reputation as a reliable grain shipper.

I call on all parties in the grain supply chain to play constructive roles to ensure the timely movement of grain, and to continue working together on medium and long-term solutions.

Our Conservative Government will continue to strengthening the agriculture sector with targeted investments in innovation, competition and market development. Among the targeted measures in our Economic Action Plan to strengthen our agricultural sector is the expansion of tax deferral for livestock, the modernization of the Plant Breeders’ Rights Act to include Farmers’ Privilege to save and reuse seeds on their own farm, and the introduction of a new pilot price insurance program to provide cattle and hog producers in Western Canada insurance against unanticipated price declines.