Canada's 39th Parliament ..."Take Note Debate"

I have watched many Parliamentary agricultural debates and question periods in my time. Mostly, the topics have been surrounding emerging issues from the WTO and supply management, to the issue of BSE. They have been effective for the issue of the moment, to highlight whatever current 'disaster' agriculture is attempting to bring to the notice of the people and the government of the day. In general, they do not last for an enormously long period of time and they have been a blip on the Canadian and political Psyche.

The challenge, that never seems to be addressed is the continued miserable returns, farmers in general are receiving for their products and the continued focus on world trade as the panacea for all agricultural ills. Included in the drive for the WTO to solve all, is also the one model for agriculture in Canada, that has remained profitable for most farmers and that is supply management.

April 6th, the 39th Parliament, had a special 'Take Note' debate and the topic was the farm crisis that brought 10,000 farmers to the Hill on April 5th. This debate in it's entirety was broadcast live on CPAC. I do not know how long it lasted from start to finish, as it was already in progress when we tuned in, but I watched this debate for over 4 hours!

I was encouraged by the breadth of topics discussed. Parliamentarians covered the current crisis, CAIS, supply management, markets, the Easter Report, immediate emergency funds, moving on a real agricultural policy, the CFA Farm Bill, the WTO, food security, food safety, the consolidated retail ownership and facts and figures for the industry were brought forward. All very enlightening, if any urban politicians bothered to listen.

Rumour has it that there were none of them present. They still do not understand the nature of the industry and it's importance for continued success for all of Canada.

Many Conservative MP's responses were taking on an note of bitterness about how the sector had been handled over the last 13 years. No doubt they forgot we began our travel down the global road with the Mulroney Conservative reign. Far too many of them still see the 'market' as the solution. The WTO will not save these farmers.

Surely, Canadians and farmers will soon tire of the strident accusation that 13 years of Liberal rule was the cause of farmers' current ills. The Conservative government will have to do far better than that to prove to rural Canada that they are paying attention.