QUESTION PERIOD — Agriculture and Agri-Food
Support for Farmers and Producers
December 2, 2025
Government leader, a Statistics Canada report last week confirmed what farmers across Canada have been sounding the alarm about for years. Under the Liberal government, farming is becoming economically unsustainable. Realized net farm income collapsed by $3.3 billion last year, an unprecedented 26% drop, while operating costs soared to nearly $80 billion. Farm debt has surged at the fastest rate since 1981, and producers now face shrinking markets, higher tariffs and an escalating industrial carbon tax that makes it more expensive to grow and transport food.
Leader, how does your government justify policies that are driving Canadian farm families to the brink and undermining our national food security?
I’m a member of a family that farms. My nephew is a farmer; my brothers are farmers. They are very hard-working Canadians, but what hard-working Canadians want is a government that will deliver a strong economy. That’s exactly what the government is committed to doing. It is true for farmers; it is true for workers all across the land. The government, by increasing our investment in important matters, will provide a growing economy that will help farmers and workers all across Canada.
I will respectfully disagree about your government’s record. The Prime Minister has travelled so extensively that he completes a loop around the world every 44 days, yet farmers still face a full beef export ban, 100% tariffs on canola products and peas and 25% tariffs on pork and seafood by China. That is along with other restrictions from India, the U.K. and many others.
Senator Moreau, farmers cannot afford this inaction. Does the Prime Minister actually care about Canadian agriculture at all?
Respectfully, Senator Martin, what the Prime Minister is doing abroad is the following: a new trade agreement with Indonesia; a defence agreement with the European Union; a critical minerals agreement with Germany; a new trade deal with Ecuador; advancing trade negotiations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations as well as the Philippines and Thailand; and new discussions with South Africa toward a foreign investment promotion and protection agreement.
What is he doing? He is opening doors for Canadians to improve the Canadian economy all across the world. That is what he is doing abroad.
