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Relief for Canadian Farmers is Relief for Struggling Canadians

December 7, 2023   ·   0 Comments

By Dufferin–Caledon MP Kyle Seeback

Canadians were shocked to learn that between April 1, 2022, and March 31, 2023, over 800,000 people in Ontario alone accessed a food bank with a total of 5.9 million visits to a food bank during this period. These startling statistics highlight the food affordability challenges Ontarians are facing. Conservatives have a fix for this. It’s simple: pass Conservative Bill C-234 that would remove the carbon tax for farmers, making food more affordable for Canadian families. This bill is currently being blocked in the Senate by Liberal Senators.

The report, issued by Feed Ontario, said that more than one in six food bank users say they are employed. This is an 82 per cent increase over 2016-17 and a 37 per cent increase over the previous year. Food Banks Canada unveiled a report saying Canadian food banks were visited nearly two million times in March alone, an increase of 79 per cent from 2019. These statistics paint a clear picture that far too many Ontarians and Canadians are struggling with the high cost of food.

I recently raised the issue of food bank usage and the significance of these alarming statistics in the House of Commons, by putting it into perspective. During Question Period, I said if the 800,000 people who accessed a food bank formed a city, it would be the fourth-largest city in Ontario, and it would be dependent upon feeding itself at a food bank.

I also said Justin Trudeau and his Liberal government could do something to help Ontarians and all Canadians. They could stop holding up our Conservative bill, Bill C-234 to take the carbon tax off farmers. If passed, the bill would remove the carbon tax for farmers, making food more affordable for Canadian families. Bill C-234 passed Third Reading in the House of Commons on March 29, 2023, but is currently being held up in the Senate by Senators appointed by Justin Trudeau. Last week, during the debate on the bill, these senators voted to shut down debate on the final vote, continuing to punish farmers struggling with Justin Trudeau’s carbon tax.

Justin Trudeau could help decrease food prices for Canadians by stopping his government’s campaign to push Senators into blocking our common sense Conservative carbon tax carveout for farmers for grain drying, barn heating, and other farm operations. When the government taxes the farmer who grows the food, it increases the cost when Canadians buy the food. Instead of delivering relief to Ontarians and all Canadians, the Trudeau Liberal government instead resorted to every trick in the book, trying desperately to prevent the passage of Bill C-234. They are playing these political games with the livelihoods of Canadian farmers to prop up the Prime Minister’s failed carbon tax and save face for Liberal ministers, like Steven Guilbeault, who said he would resign if there were more carveouts. This comes at the expense of Canadians struggling with food affordability.

Conservatives will not stop our efforts to bring relief to Canadian farmers and families. We recently introduced a motion calling on the Senate to immediately pass C-234. When the Senate returns next week, Senators will need to make a choice between supporting Justin Trudeau’s agenda or supporting farmers and ordinary Canadians struggling with food insecurity. It should be an easy decision.

Ontarians and Canadians can always count on common sense Conservatives to be on their side for making food and life more affordable.


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