Ottawa, ON – John Barlow, Conservative Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Agri-Food, and Jacques Gourde, Conservative Associate Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Agri-Food, released the following statement on the government’s public response to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food (AGRI) report:
“The Liberal government’s response to the bipartisan AGRI report is a betrayal of Canadian producers and a threat to food security. By rejecting the committee’s recommendation to reverse the closure of seven agricultural research stations and the cancellation of Swift Current’s organic program, the Liberals are destroying the scientific infrastructure required to keep food affordable and safe for Canadians.
“While the Liberals spin these cuts as a mere 7 per cent reduction in scientists, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s own data exposes the real damage: over 54 per cent of all departmental job cuts (364 positions) and nearly 75 per cent of budget reductions ($115 million annually) directly target the Science and Innovation branch.
“Claiming this as an ‘operational efficiency’ is false. By axing hundreds of laboratory technicians and field specialists, the government is discarding years’ worth of expertise on the front lines of agricultural science.
“Senior scientists cannot conduct the soil, crop or livestock research that protects our food supply without the technical teams that run these stations. This decision will destroy decades of innovation and research which led to breakthroughs like minimal till, canola and precision agriculture.
“The Liberals’ hypocrisy is staggering. They claim food security is a ‘national security priority on par with energy,’ and yet dismantle the regional research network that helps feed Canadians: shutting down cold-climate science and forage research in Quebec, forage and beef capacity in Alberta and Nova Scotia, the Seed Increase Unit in Saskatchewan and food allergen testing in Longueuil.
“To make matters worse, while the Liberals preach ‘transparency’ in their response, they have actively stopped front-line researchers from speaking out and completely bypassed the Chief Science Advisor before ordering these closures.
“This was never a fiscal necessity but a reckless prioritization of Liberal interests. While spending billions on outside consultants, executive travel and failed government programs, the Liberals claim they cannot afford to maintain world-class public research stations that make food safer and save Canadians money in the long run.
“Conservatives will not sit idle while the Liberals destroy Canada’s agricultural innovation ecosystem, and have already called to reverse these reckless shutdowns in our Big Plan for Small Towns.
“We once again call on the Minister of Agriculture to immediately halt these closures, protect our frontline research personnel, restore the organic science program and follow through on the recommendations of the all-party parliamentary committee so that Canadians can have safe, affordable food.”