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International Trade

Question period focused on ongoing trade negotiations, especially a possible agreement with Mercosur, the South American trade bloc. Conservative members said beef and pork exports to Europe and the UK had dropped, and that beef farmers in Bruce and Grey counties worry the deal would bring in cheaper imported beef with lower food safety and environmental standards, hurting rural communities and Canada’s cattle industry; they asked the government to protect cattle producers and leave farming out of the deal. Liberal ministers said they are negotiating trade agreements around the world, including with Mercosur, India, China and Mexico, to create jobs and markets for Canadian farmers, that they are consulting cattle producer groups, and that over twenty trade agreements have been concluded in the past six months.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

Official text

6 statements

John Barlow

Conservative
“The government is rushing to sign a trade deal with countries that have lower food safety and environmental rules. This will hurt Canadian meat farmers. Why is the government putting our farmers and food at risk?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, Canadian farmers expect the government to defend them at the negotiation table, not leave them behind, yet the Liberals constantly fail farmers in trade disputes. Canadian beef and pork exports to Europe and the United Kingdom dropped to zero last year, yet the Liberals are rushing into a Mercosur agreement despite the risk to Canadian cattle, pork and poultry. Mercosur countries do not meet our standards on animal health, food safety or the environment. Why are the Liberals rushing in to sign an agreement that puts our food security, our food safety and Canadian farmers at risk?

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Yasir Naqvi

Liberal
“We are negotiating trade deals around the world, including with South American countries, to create good jobs for Canadian farmers and industries. We are meeting with groups like cattle farmers to make sure these deals help Canadians.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Clarity 36 of 100

    Much of this statement used imprecise wording, lacked details on timing or responsibility, or made broad claims without support.

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  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 100 of 100

    Of this answer, 100% addressed the question that was asked.

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, we are engaged in active negotiations throughout the world to create more opportunities for Canadians to create more good-paying jobs for our farmers and for our industries across Canada. That includes a negotiating agreement with Mercosur, which is the fifth-largest trading bloc in the world, with a GDP of somewhere between $3 trillion and $3.5 trillion. In that process, we are working with farmers, we are working with industries and we are working with stakeholders. Just today, I met with the Canadian Cattle Association. The minister met with them last week. We are working together to make sure that we create good-paying jobs for all Canadians.

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Alex Ruff

Conservative
“Beef farmers in my area are worried about trade talks with South American countries. Bringing in more foreign beef will hurt local farmers and our food supply. The government should focus on selling Canadian beef to other countries instead of hurting our cattle industry at home.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the Bruce County and Grey County beef farmers have publicly expressed concerns about the ongoing negotiations with Mercosur. They said, “This won’t just hurt farmers—it will weaken rural communities and reduce Canada’s ability to produce its own food.... In Ontario...where most imported beef enters the market, the impact on local farmers would be severe.” Canadian beef producers are waiting to get more access in markets across the world. Should the Liberal government not be prioritizing export market access abroad instead of displacing the Canadian cattle industry at home?

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Yasir Naqvi

Liberal
“We are helping Canadian businesses and farmers sell their goods to other countries, including India and China. We are working closely with them to make trade deals that create good jobs.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Clarity 49 of 100

    Much of this statement used imprecise wording, lacked details on timing or responsibility, or made broad claims without support.

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  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 96 of 100

    Of this answer, 94% addressed the question that was asked.

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, that is precisely what we are doing. We are living in uncertain times, and our focus is on creating more opportunities for Canadian businesses, including our hard-working farmers, to be able to export around the world. In fact, if we talk to farmers, we hear that they are very excited about the opportunities we are creating for them in India, China, the Philippines and other ASEAN countries, and places like Mercosur. We are working closely with our farmers. We are working closely with our industries. We are listening to their views, and our negotiations will reflect the needs of Canadians so we can create good-paying jobs for all Canadians.

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Steven Bonk

Conservative
“Canadian ranchers raise high-quality beef with strict health standards. A trade deal with Mercosur countries would bring in cheaper beef with lower standards. I want the minister to protect our cattle producers and leave farming out of this deal.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, Canadian cattle producers are among the very best in the entire world. Our ranchers have built world-class beef genetics through generations of hard work, strict animal health standards and some of the most rigorous traceability requirements anywhere on earth. Now the Liberals are considering a Mercosur trade deal that could open the floodgates to beef imports from countries with far lower standards and production costs. Why are these Liberals willing to sacrifice our Canadian ranchers and undermine our domestic food industry? Will the minister commit today to protecting Canadian cattle producers and exempt agriculture from any Mercosur trade deal?

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Anita Anand

Liberal
“We are creating trade opportunities around the world for Canadian farmers and bringing investments into Canada. Over the past six months, we have finished over 20 trade agreements across four continents.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 35 of 100

    None of this answer addressed the specific question that was asked.

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  • Government answer in Question Period

    Clarity 47 of 100

    Much of this statement used imprecise wording, lacked details on timing or responsibility, or made broad claims without support.

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, we are unlocking trade opportunities for Canadians and Canadian farmers around the world. Let us look at China. Let us look at Mexico, for example, where we are continuing to stand with Canadian farmers. At the same time, we are unlocking trade agreements and investment directly into Canada, around the world, and negotiating and concluding over 20 trade agreements over the past six months, over four continents. One thing that would advantage Canadians is if the opposition actually recognized that we are standing for the Canadian—

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