11 Better Farming | November 2024 Follow us on @BetterFarmingON Parliament hill Report said. “This is clearly an opportunity, but I don’t get the sense there’s a lot of effort to seize on that opportunity.” Examples of school food programs that source products from local farmers are in Latvia and Ghana. Latvian farmers provide fruits, vegetables and other items used in school programs, and the source farms are within 300 km of each school. In Ghana, about 80 per cent of the food in the program comes from local growers. To advocate for ag and related issues, Minister MacAulay needs to have the time in question period to bring them to attention. He had 95 interventions in the House of Commons between Nov. 22, 2021 and June 19, 2024, the CBC reported in a look at MP participation. For comparison, John Barlow, the Conservative ag critic, and Alistair MacGregor, the former NDP ag critic, had 329 and 530 interventions in the same timeframe. MacGregor is also the party’s deputy critic for justice. But with so many issues facing ag, Minister MacAulay should have a larger role, McCann said. “I think that’s where some of the frustration comes from,” he said. “We have lower farm incomes, labour issues, and other things that should keep the agriculture minister busy, active and engaged. “My perennial hope is that we see agriculture get more of a mainstream interest during this session, but I expect those hopes not to be met.” That’s extra frustrating considering Canadian ag plays such a vital role in the economy, job creation and innovation, McCann added. When the carbon tax is mentioned in ag, many in the sector may wonder about Bill C-234’s status. The bill is back in the House of Commons after senators passed an amended version last year. It’s looking more like the legislation will die on the floor of the House before it gets any more attention, McCann said. “Unfortunately, that might be the case.” BF 1-866-267-6255 CALL TO ACCESS FREE, UNLIMITED COUNSELLING Stress on the farm Family or relationships Financial pressure Anxiety or depression Managing your workload Substance use Loneliness or isolation Supporting loved ones Processing traumatic events FREE MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT FOR ONTARIO FARMERS, FARM WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES FARMERWELLNESSINITIATIVE.CA SCAN THE BAR CODE TO ADD THE LINE TO YOUR CONTACTS
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