Damien Kurek, Member of Parliament for Battle River-Crowfoot, met with colleagues from Alberta to address the crisis facing farmers following a growing and harvest season that saw many challenges and that was cut short by adverse weather conditions.
“We’re committed to working with our provincial counterparts and the Ministers of Agriculture to ensure farmers make it through this crisis.”
Kurek and his colleagues have committed to immediately act on the following measures: Meet with the Alberta Government counterparts to collaborate on solutions to assist; Demand the Trudeau Liberals immediately complete the Business Risk Management Review promised two and a half years ago, as requested by industry and stakeholders;
•Call on the government to make agriculture relief programs more responsive to farmers
in need and remove arbitrary boundaries in determining tax relief and benefits;
•Call on the government to aggressively work to reopen the Chinese market for Canadian canola; and
•Call on the government to halt its plan to impose the Carbon Tax in Alberta.
These additional costs for natural gas and fuel, used for drying crops and transportation will cause additional harm to struggling farm families.
“This is a growing crisis that puts the stability and future of our agriculture in East Central Alberta, and all across western Canada, at risk,” Kurek said. “The financial strain of this developing crisis could jeopardize the financial stability for many farm families and has the potential to impact the mental health of struggling farmers in our communities. The federal government must act quickly to respond to the real struggles of impact on farm families.”
“The Prime Minister’s delay to appoint his cabinet creates even more uncertainty for our farmers. With the announcement of the Parliament being reconvened in early December, there is an opportunity to show leadership on this file.”
Farmers feeling the strain of this crisis or living with depression are encouraged to call the Mental Health Hotline 1-877-303-2642 or visit mymentalhealth.ca
