Beyond Factory Farming sent each federal party our Beyond Factory Farming Election Questionnaire (pdf 128kb). Read and compare their responses below.
The Bloc Québécois responses below were translated from their original French.
The Conservative Party has not responded to our emails and phone calls seeking their participation. If and when they do, we will post their responses.
The Green Party believes that recent health concerns highlight the need for a strong government led inspection process that prioritizes the health of Canadians. Unfortunately, consistent with its privatization agenda, the Conservative government has announced that as of October 2008, it will no longer inspect federally inspected slaughterhouses (sic) but will require these companies report on themselves. The Green Party of Canada strongly opposes this move and would commit to a review of the Canadian food system and safety regulations in their entirety.
Protecting the health and safety of Canadians is a primary responsibility of the federal government.
A Treasury Board document has revealed that plans to abandon critical meat inspections, cuts to BSE testing, and Avian Influenza preparedness funding were in fact approved by federal cabinet ministers in November 2007.
The current recall of food shows how important it is to have the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) on the job. Now is the time to invest more in food safety, not less.
A new Liberal government will support the hiring of an additional 100 inspectors. These additional inspectors will be put to work ensuring our food is safe when it reaches store shelves.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency employed about 1200 inspectors in 2007. The new Liberal investment will result in an eight per cent increase in number of inspectors.
New Democrats are disturbed that the Conservatives are willing to jeopardize the health and safety of Canadians. Privatizing food inspection just to save a few dollars is not acceptable. New Democrats strongly believe that a central role of government is to ensure the health and safety of Canadians. We are strongly opposed to the changes to Canada’s Food Inspection Agency wrought by Liberal and Conservative governments.
New Democrats would ensure Canada’s food inspection system has the necessary resources to ensure the food Canadians eat is safe. Later in this election, New Democrats will be releasing a comprehensive plan for food safety and agriculture.
In effect, we agree with you. In our view it is difficult for the CFIA to protect the health of the consumer at the same time it promotes the sale of agricultural products. It’s a problem we’ve raised elsewhere since this situation was created. In our 2008 agricultural platform we propose to revise the mandate of the agency with the goal of studying the effect this double mandate has upon the confidence of the public in its work. The revision would have as its overarching goal to emphasize the watchdog role of the agency, a role that is absolutely essential when the industry concerned can impact the health of the population.
The Green Party is deeply concerned about the state of Canadian Food inspection agency. In 1996, the Liberal government moved food safety out of Health Canada's mandate and moved it to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) while the Agency was also made responsible for promoting Agri-Foods. The end result has been that safety regulations are now designed for the global food system, not a more sustainable local food system. The global food system is rife with dangers due the long distances food travels, the impossibility of controlling food regulations and practices around the world.
The Green Party, as previously stated, is committed to a review of the Canadian food system and safety regulations in their entirety. Moreover a Green government would put food safety back into the hands of Health Canada. This would put an end to the current conflict of interest that exists within the CFIA between international trade promotion and food safety. The CFIA should be given the responsibility to promote local food economies rather than Agri-food/global food economies.
The CFIA is charged with the extremely important task of protecting Canada’s food supply.
Liberals respect and trust the staff and inspectors at the CFIA who manage this enormous responsibility on a daily basis.
New Democrats believe these two duties are not compatible. While we believe there is a role for the federal government to promote trade in Canadian agricultural products, this should be carried out by a different agency. The move away from protecting the public and towards assisting big agri-business make even larger profits was started under Liberal governments and accelerated by Stephen Harper’s Conservatives. A New Democratic government would return the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to its original mandate of ensuring the food Canadians eat is safe.
Canada's food security and safety is threatened directly by agribusiness, as factory farms crowd chickens, turkeys, cows and pigs into inhumane and unhygienic conditions creating the risk of serious health threats of mad cow disease and avian flu. Developing farming techniques that take into account both the health of humans as well as animals can only combat these threats.
The Green Party wants to expand local small-scale agriculture and support a rapid transition to organic agriculture rather than subsidizing costly agro-chemicals, industrial food production and genetically modified crops. Family owned and operated farms of small to medium size constitute the most reliable, high quality and economical food production system, now and into our future.
A sound avian influenza plan must include measures for the prevention, preparedness, response and recovery to deal with a possible outbreak.
A Liberal government will work closely with provinces and industry to address these measures and to ensure that Canadian farms have rigorous bio-security protocols in place.
The best way to prevent the spread of Avian Influenza is through monitoring and immediate action to destroy infected birds and those birds which may have come in contact with infected birds. New Democrats would ensure this system would be maintained and if needed enhanced.
New Democrats also favour the expansion of the number of small scale farmers. Later in this campaign Jack Layton and the New Democrats will be releasing our plan for agriculture.
The EU did ban antibiotics however this initiative was not adopted by the World Trade Organization, as a result the EU can ban this practice within its boundaries but cannot ban the import of products which employed antibiotics. The Bloc Quebecois has never examined this question here, but in the event of a debate we would certainly argue that consumers have a right to know what they are eating.
The Green Party advocates for the development of new farming practices that reduce or remove the need for growth hormones or antibiotics. By promoting better practices such as small to medium scale organic farming practices that greatly improve the quality of life for animals, a Green government would ensure both farming sustainability as well as profitability. Moreover, a Green government would ensure the quality and wholesomeness of food by further strengthening the monitoring of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, growth hormones, non-therapeutic antibiotics and insecticides in food production, processing and storage with the goal of an orderly reduction in detectable residues of these substances until they reach undetectable limits.
A Liberal government would be supportive of measures that contribute to a safer food system in Canada.
New Democrats are very concerned about the rise of antibiotic resistance due to their presence in the food. While we have not developed a policy specific to this issue we would be open to any proposals which would address it balanced with the need to ensure any transition away from the use of antibiotics in animal feed does not negatively impact farm families.
Certain irradiated foods are already accepted in Canada and the CFIA is considering expanding the list of products that can be irradiated to include poultry, beef, shrimp, and mangoes. That said, it is still a controversial practice because we still don’t know the precise effects it has on food at a cellular level. Also, even if irradiating food did eliminate pathogens, there is no guarantee the food couldn’t be contaminated later. At the moment we feel it is important that consumers know which products have been irradiated so that they can make an informed choice.
The Green Party understands the potential benefits of food irradiation. However, we believe that it is even more important to take more preventative measures such as improving food handling conditions, proper water sanitation, and regular independent inspection of facilities.
The listeriosis outbreak highlights the dangers of the Conservative decision to abandon key food inspections, and cut funding to critical food safety programming.
Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz claimed the Harper cabinet had made no decisions on cuts to food safety inspections. However, a leaked Treasury Board document has revealed that plans to abandon critical meat inspections, cuts to BSE testing, and Avian Influenza preparedness funding were in fact approved by federal cabinet ministers in November 2007.
On September 4, 2008, the Liberal Party called for his resignation over his repeated misleading, inaccurate, and contradictory statements about the government’s plan to abandon critical food safety inspections.
The recent reporting of insensitive jokes by Minister Ritz reaffirms our early call for his resignation.
A new Liberal government will invest an additional $50 million to build a more robust food safety net.
This includes a review that will look at the resources in the food safety system to ensure the safety of the food we eat and the long-term strength of the food safety system.
New Democrats do not support irradiation as a way of improving food safety.
The Bloc Quebecois supports the principle of food sovereignty and any international evaluation of agricultural knowledge, science or technological development should be made in light of this principle. We also believe it is time for the Canadian government to revise its vision for the commercialization of food in favour of one that it based on more equitable values.
The Green Party of Canada is firmly committed to the promotion an agricultural sector that is ecologically sustainable and organic. As such, the Green Party supports the IAASTD’s recommendations any and all initiatives that work to promote these goals, especially at the international level.
Canada, along with the U.S. and Australia, did not sign onto the IAASTD’s recommendations, and several other countries expressed reservations when this report was issued in Johannesburg in April. The World Bank and other non-state actors also expressed concerns. Liberals believe strongly in the sustainable agricultural practices that are central to this report. Nonetheless, details are important, and recommendations must be realistic with a reasonable chance of success. A Liberal government would consult thoroughly with a broad spectrum of stakeholders should this report become the subject of future international discussions.
A New Democratic government would work toward sustainable agriculture outcomes that will help reduce input costs for pesticides, herbicides and fuel, which are largely paid by Canadian farmers to multinational corporations. The NDP would actively support the transition to sustainable agriculture with investment and regulations to encourage ecologically sound food production. We would also invest in research and market development for organic production.
The Green party of Canada believes that the international trading system must position itself to better serve the needs of citizens. It is therefore necessary to Re-organize the powerful multilateral economic institutions such as the World Trade Organization (WTO), the IMF and the World Bank, placing these institutions under the authority of the UN General Assembly, giving individual countries more of a say in the development of a system they all have to operate under. It is necessary to shift the direction of international trade away from "free trade" to "fair trade" focusing on the global protection of human rights, labour standards, cultural diversity, and ecosystems.
We would reform agriculture regulations to challenge corporate concentration, eliminate international dumping and subsidies to ensure fair trade.
The collapse of the World Trade Organization talks on agriculture over two years ago was a concern to Liberals. Though Canada was not a cause of the failure of the Doha round, the Conservative government failed to build on the progress made at earlier talks in Hong Kong and so opportunities for Canadian farmers were lost.
Liberals have always supported a balanced approach to the negotiations where we have fought for market access, the reduction and future elimination of export subsidies while maintaining the right to protect sensitive products. Liberals are clear in the need to continue our supply-management systems. Unlike the Conservatives, we support the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB). Any changes to the CWB should follow wide consultations with all parties affected and then be put to a farmer vote.
New Democrats support trade and investment rules that ensure governments and their citizens can choose the best solutions to end poverty and protect the environment. We also support measures that boost farmers' power in the marketplace and that bring an end to the dumping of goods, which damages the livelihoods of poor rural communities. A New Democratic government would direct that these principles would form the foundation of Canada’s position in trade talks.
The Bloc Quebecois is recognized for its commitment towards the environment. The party’s recent actions are proof of this commitment towards the health of Quebecers.
The Bloc Quebecois firmly believes that we cannot continue to close our eyes and ignore the problem: the federal government must urgently combat atmospheric pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to smog. This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t think carefully about what action to take.
Where greenhouse gases are concerned, the Bloc Quebecois is urging the federal government to implement an effective plan to combat climate change that encompasses the agricultural sector as well as the general population.
Canada must resolutely aim to meet the targets recommended by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to prevent irreversible global warming- a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions at 1990 levels of 25 to 40 percent before 2020.
Meanwhile the federal government should adopt a territorial approach. A territorial approach is the only avenue that would allow Quebec, which already has a plan – a plan that needs perfecting but is more elaborate than Canada’s – to rapidly move ahead and adopt measures that are specifically adapted to its economic, social, regional realities, realities that are distinct from those in the Maritime and western provinces. This will also include the adoption of measures specific to the realities of agricultural producers that will recognize their past efforts.
Agriculture (55 MT) accounts for 7% of Canada's emissions. 43% comes from dairy and beef herds emitting methane; 40% from poor soil fertilization practices releasing N2O; and 15% from poor manure management from penned livestock herds. Thus a Green government would establish greenhouse gas emission targets for all components of the agri-food system and collaborates with industry in establishing plans for meeting them.
Local food production is another goal of Green policy that will reduce emissions by reducing the need for long distance transport. In part this would be accomplished by supporting the "200 kilometre diet " (eating locally grown food) through expansion of farmers' markets and local culinary tourism activities. Moreover the Green Party would encourage and support the consumption of locally grown food by promoting adequate shelf space in grocery chains for products from local farms and local food processors. Urban agriculture will be encouraged to provide more local food, as well as more green roofs, reducing air conditioning demand and run-off in deluge rains.
These steps provide for real reductions in greenhouse gas emissions while creating a real and stable base for local agricultural economies.
A Liberal government will introduce two programs to help Canada’s agricultural sector reduce greenhouse gas emissions. First a new Liberal government will invest $250 million into a Green Farms Fund. This Fund will support research in, and provide rebates on, green farm technologies that reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Secondly, a Liberal government will create a $400 million Emission Reduction Credits fund that agricultural producers will have access to. Emission Reduction Credits will encourage and reward industries such as farming and forestry that are achieving verified reductions in non-energy greenhouse gas emissions. The Emissions Reduction Credits will work as a bridge towards a cap and trade system that will be created under a new Liberal government in addition to the Liberal Green Shift plan.
As we said in the answer to question 6, New Democrats would actively support the transition to sustainable agriculture with investment and regulations to encourage ecologically sound food production. In May of this year, Jack Layton outlined the New Democrat plan for dealing with greenhouse gas emissions. Our plan focuses on the big corporate polluters through our Cap and Trade system. This approach will use regulatory enforcement to ensure reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
As for air quality issues, including ammonia emissions, the federal government must collaborate with Quebec to develop strict but realistic standards that can be applied in a fair and equitable manner.
The Bloc Quebecois has strongly denounced air quality regulations imposed by the federal government as they are made to measure for the petroleum industry. These regulations and standards are so lax in regard to companies working the tar sands that they will permit significant increases to certain atmospheric pollutants that will have a direct impact on the health of people and the environment.
The Bloc Quebecois won’t allow the environment, public health, or other sectors of the economy, including agriculture, to suffer more in order to provide preferential treatment to the petroleum sector.
Along with the air borne contaminant issues of ammonia, it can also contaminate drinking water. The Green Party is fully committed to the goals of the Gothenburg Protocol and will work with the livestock sector to reduce ammonia emissions. Because of the multiple benefits of organic farming methods, a Green Government will work to assist non-organic farmers who wish to transit to organics to make the switch.
The Liberal Party is certainly concerned about ammonia emissions from the agriculture sector as evidence accumulates that airborne ammonia concentrations cause significant environmental damage. A Liberal government will look into ways that ammonia emissions from the agriculture sector can be reduced, including improved methods of fertilizer application, improved manure handling techniques, and improved manure storage. Once we have a better understanding of this emerging issue we will be able to then look at federal government programs to help reduce emissions.
While Canada signed the Gothenburg Protocol on December 1st, 1999 we have not ratified the protocol. Without this legal first step there is no legal authority to begin work on developing a solution. A New Democratic government would look to ratifying this protocol so work on a solution can be developed, with the consideration that the protocol must fit within our environmental frameworks and farm families are not negatively impacted.
The question of water quality is within the jurisdiction of the Quebec government which was the first in Canada to develop and implement a water policy (2002). This policy will assure the protection of this unique resource by managing it in a sustainable fashion which in turn will better protect public health and the health of ecosystems.
Although water quality falls within provincial jurisdiction there is still much the federal government can do to address this important question, for instance by regulating consumer products (soap, detergent, hazardous materials...) that might aggravate the problem.
On June 12, 2007, anxious to combat the proliferation of blue green algae, the Block Quebecois presented and had adopted the following motion by the House Environment Committee:
“That, pursuant to Standing Order 108 (2), the Standing Committee on the Environment and the Sustainable Development recommends that the government amend the Phosphorous Concentration Regulations in order to phase out concentration of phosphorous in dishwasher detergents and laundry detergents and that the adoption of this motion be reported to the House at the earliest opportunity.”
The Bloc Quebecois is altogether conscious of the fact that eliminating products containing phosphates will not completely remove the presence of blue green algae in our waters. Other measures must be taken by the government of Quebec. However, the elimination of phosphates from detergents is a step the federal government could quickly take.
We are also convinced a good part of the problem can be addressed by informing the public- particularly waterfront property owners and recreational and commercial users. This is the reason the Bloc Quebecois launched an educational campaign on this subject last summer.
Canada's water supply is a vital concern for all Canadians. It is essential that the federal government take the appropriate steps to ensure that farms can properly protect nearby water supplies. Therefore a green government would implement legislation Protecting and improving the quality of water in our streams, lakes and aquifers by requiring farm practices that avoid contamination by agricultural run-off. Moreover, we must remove incentives for environmentally destructive behaviour; a Green government would introduce cost-shared programs to help farmers protect wildlife habitat areas and marginal lands, maintain water quality in streams, lakes and aquifers and retain and improve soil quality. We must not punish farmers who recognize the importance of protecting natural habitats, as these not only provide local wonders, but national treasures.
Specific measures to improve our water quality include:
The Liberal Party has announced a 10 year $70 billion infrastructure plan that will provide funding for significant investments in water quality in Canada. More specifically, the federal government has set aside:
As an additional tool to finance infrastructure investment, a new Liberal government will also develop an Infrastructure Bank. This bank will provide low-cost financing for all orders of government that choose to borrow from it. It will also help finance long-term infrastructure projects such as regional energy grids or high-speed rail.
Through the Infrastructure Bank, Canadians across the country would have the opportunity to participate in the Bank’s projects through the purchase of tax-free Green Bonds, which would be similar to Canada Savings Bonds, but with the money directed toward investments in renewable energy infrastructure or other investments that will clean up our environment and strengthen our economy.
For 25 years, Canadian Prime Ministers have told you and your family that they’d cut pollution and ensure a cleaner environment. They didn’t. And Stephen Harper has only added to Liberal failure by adopting phony targets with artificial timelines to get the job done. In October 2006 NDP MP Peter Stoffer tabled a Clean Water Act proposing national standards ensuring safe drinking water for all Canadians, urban and rural, on First Nations reserves and off. Water quality regulations under this law would include standards for solid waste disposal, dump management, mine site operations and rehabilitation, forestry and farming practices, and pesticide use. Related to this legislation, we recognize that financing will be needed to provide funding for improvements to public sewer and water systems, which will help in making a real difference in water quality.
The Green Party prefers a renewed focus on family and small-scale farms.
For centuries, family farms were the foundation of our society and economy. Over the last five decades, federal policies, subsidies and changing technologies have shifted food production from small ecologically sustainable family farms to giant agribusinesses. This shift has given multinational corporations control over our food supply. Meanwhile, farmers increasingly rely on off-farm income to survive. Family owned and operated farms of small to medium size constitute the most reliable, high quality and economical food production system, now and into our uncertain future. The Green Party of Canada supports family farmers as environmental stewards and as efficient producers of nutritious food. The family farm is the primary unit of production. Agricultural policies must be designed to keep family farms economically viable.
Specific measures to increase the viability of family and small-scale farms include:
A Liberal government would invest in a new $30-million program to support the promotion of local farmers' markets and the branding of Canadian-grown foods. The more that Canadians buy local farm products, the less distance our food has to travel – this is good for farmers and the environment.
New Democrats would take action to counter agribusiness market power in the Canadian marketplace by working to develop producer-run co-operatives. These co-operatives are essential to restoring fair prices in a market dominated by a few corporate agri-giants. We would also regulate the proportion of packer-owned cattle that can be held at any given time so as to ensure fair market prices for cattle producers.
The future of agriculture in Quebec lies in adding value to a variety of products. We must not place all our eggs in one basket and I believe we would be making a mistake if we only supported or discouraged big business.
The Bloc Quebecois supports and promotes the concept of food sovereignty, including encouraging smaller farms. This idea is better developed here than in the west of Canada, and it’s for this reason that we believe the Quebec government is itself better off developing the tools and the programs that favour a link between producer and consumer. The Bloc Quebecois proposes that the federal government back food sovereignty, notably by:
For its part the federal government must adequately finance these initiatives with flexible funds that can address the different needs of each province.
To promote and support local food production, New Democrats would invest in local and regional food markets and value added processing; invest in research and market development for organic production and encourage urban communities to develop good food distribution systems that build closer links between producers and consumers.