Two hot issues were front and centre at the Legislature early this week.
In question period Monday, the opposition raised remarks made by minister of social services Paul Merriman in which he referred to elected indigenous leaders as “lobbyists.”
The exchange between Merriman and Regina Douglas Park MLA Nicole Sarauer is recorded in Hansard, in which Merriman stated he was wrong for using the term.
Ms. Sarauer: — Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Social Services complained that First Nations leaders were at the table for a meeting with the federal government on child welfare. He called them “lobbyists” and dismissed the importance of having Indigenous leaders around the table to address the unacceptable number of children in care in Saskatchewan and then doubled down on his comments by repeating that Indigenous leaders should not be at the table when discussing child welfare.
Why did the minister call these elected leaders lobbyists, and how can he possibly justify excluding them from these essential conversations?
The Speaker: — I recognize the Minister of Social Services.
Hon. Mr. Merriman: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just to say for the record, I have the utmost respect for the Indigenous culture, history, and the elected representatives at a local, provincial, and national level. Mr. Speaker, I was wrong to use the word “lobbyist” last week in my interview.
As I stated last week, Mr. Speaker, along with my provincial and territorial colleagues, we were very glad to have discussions with the federal government and the national Indigenous organizations in the room to discuss Bill C-92 and other items. We had also requested a separate meeting with just the federal minister to discuss the current process such as timelines, current PT [provincial-territorial] agreements, funding. At the end of the day we were denied this meeting, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I’d like to update the House. This morning I was able to speak to Minister (Seamus) O’Regan and he has agreed that we should have a conference call with the federal, provincial, and territorials. He confirmed this with me this morning. Mr. Speaker, the NIOs [national Indigenous organization] have had their space to be able to work with the federal government to raise their concerns. It is very important, Mr. Speaker, that we as provincial and territorial organizations have our space to be able to discuss C-92. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Later in Question Period Monday, the NDP’s agriculture critic, Regina Northeast MLA Yens Pedersen, posed questions to agriculture minister David Marit related to the canola dispute with China.
Mr. Pedersen: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, across the province producers are having to make some tough choices as they prepare for seeding. Canola producers who are already impacted by the trade dispute with China have been watching prices collapse and they’re anticipating yet another squeeze on tight margins. We support the calls to ramp up diplomatic and scientific effort, but those efforts could take months, if not years, Mr. Speaker, and farmers can’t wait that long.
Last week APAS [Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan] called for short-term support from the province and from the feds. They want Saskatchewan Crop Insurance to step up and provide additional staff support. They want to see AgriStability coverage enhanced. They want to see 2019 enrolment fees scrapped and they want an option for interim payments. Will the minister commit to offering this support today?
The Speaker: —I recognize the Minister of Agriculture.
Hon. Mr. Marit: —Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this obviously is a very serious issue for the agricultural community here in the province of Saskatchewan. We met with the federal ministers at the end of March in Saskatoon. We put a proposal on the table that we thought was very doable as far as the federal government acting on it. We are still waiting patiently for that, for that answer and that response from them. I do have a call with the federal minister tomorrow to have a discussion about this, Mr. Speaker.
It is a very serious problem. We know there’s farmers out there with cash-flow problems, and that’s why we put the cash advance proposal to the federal government, interest free to the farmers. It’s a good proposal. It’s a good perspective. And we’d hope that the federal government will act on it very soon
He’s right, Mr. Speaker. This is long overdue. This problem should have been solved and our proposal should have been acted on a lot sooner, Mr. Speaker.
The Speaker: —I recognize the member for Regina Northeast.
Mr. Pedersen: —Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That sounds like a lot more talk but not a lot of action. Mr. Speaker, if this government wants to actually stand up for Saskatchewan, it takes more than pointing fingers at Ottawa. It takes more than talk. It takes actually stepping up to help producers with actual measures.
Today it’s been reported that Canadian pork, soybeans, and peas have been held up now in Chinese ports. This trade war with China is escalating and the dispute could be devastating to Saskatchewan exporters. And there’s no end in sight; in the Premier’s own words, producers are running out of time.
So my question to the minister: what is the strategy to address this crisis? What’s the minister doing besides talking? What will the province be doing to support impacted producers?
The Speaker: —I recognize the Minister of Agriculture.
Hon. Mr. Marit: —Mr. Speaker, as I’ve said before, this is a very serious issue for the producers here in the province of Saskatchewan agriculture with the issues we’re having with China. We’ve offered full support to the federal government. We’ve offered to be part of a technical team to get over to China and have a discussion with them. We are still waiting for an answer from China to see whether a technical team will be allowed to go over there, Mr. Speaker. There’s the other side of this thing, and it’s, is China letting us in to have that discussion with them, Mr. Speaker? And that’s the problem we’re dealing right now, Mr. Speaker.
The next day, opposition leader Ryan Meili called for action on the canola issue.
Mr. Meili: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Saskatchewan farmers want to see action on the canola crisis. The Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan, APAS, is calling for Saskatchewan Crop Insurance to provide additional staff support, and to see AgriStability coverage enhanced, 2019 enrolment fees removed, and the option for interim payments.
These are reasonable requests, Mr. Speaker, things that can be offered today. Yesterday the Agriculture minister wouldn’t commit to those or really any other actions, instead pointing fingers elsewhere, waiting for decisions elsewhere. Will this government step up and do more than point fingers elsewhere? Will they take responsibility and take the reasonable actions that Saskatchewan farmers are asking for to deal with the canola crisis?
The Speaker: —I recognize the Minister of Agriculture.
Hon. Mr. Marit: —Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this government will always stand up for farmers and ranchers in the province of Saskatchewan. And trust me, Mr. Speaker, the farmers and ranchers trust this government to support them in every avenue of agriculture.
Mr. Speaker, I will be talking to the federal Minister of Agriculture later today, Mr. Speaker. Hopefully we’re going to see an announcement later this week. Mr. Speaker, we have put a proposal to the federal government. We put it back in March, March 26th, or towards the end of March. We put a proposal on for an interest-free cash advance of a million dollars for farmers to be able to access, to at least give them some opportunity to put the crop in the ground and help alleviate some of that pressure.
We’ve been in constant communication with the federal government, with the federal officials, through my office and through the ministry’s office, Mr. Speaker. We’ve offered any support that we can to help resolve this problem of a canola issue to China, Mr. Speaker. And hopefully today, when I talk to the federal Ag minister later today, we will have an answer, Mr. Speaker.
The Speaker: —I recognize the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr. Meili: —Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Advocating to the federal government is absolutely essential when trying to deal with this canola crisis, but it isn’t enough. It isn’t enough.
This government has many levers they can use to improve the lives of Saskatchewan farmers. People are in a very stressful situation right now. This is a crisis. We need a message from this government that they’re going to be willing to step up, whatever the federal government does, that they will do their role. What steps will this government take with their own actions to help farmers, make sure that our producers are taken care of in the midst of this canola crisis?
The Speaker: —I recognize the Minister of Agriculture.
Hon. Mr. Marit: —Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I’ve said, farmers and ranchers in the province of Saskatchewan trust this government. They have their faith on us. They count on us. Mr. Speaker, all you have to look at is look at the representation on this side of the House from rural Saskatchewan, Mr. Speaker. I don’t see any rural representation from over on that side of the House, Mr. Speaker.
[Interjections]
The Speaker: —Order, please. I recognize the minister. Hon. Mr. Marit: — Mr. Minister, we’ve always . . .
[Interjections]
The Speaker: —The member for Douglas Park, please come to order. I recognize the minister.
Hon. Mr. Marit: — Mr. Speaker, we will always support the farmers and ranchers in this province, Mr. Speaker. As I said in my previous answer, Mr. Speaker, I will be talking to the federal minister later today. I know my counterpart the Minister of Trade and Export is talking to his counterpart later today. And I know the Premier is talking to the Prime Minister later today also, Mr. Speaker.
We’ve put a proposal on the table. We’re hoping that they’re going to have an announcement for us here in the next few days. That’s where it’s at now, Mr. Speaker. And as I said, I’m hoping that the federal Minister of Agriculture, when I talk to her later today, will have some answers for us on this problem, Mr. Speaker.
On Wednesday came word of a federal government response to the situation, as they raised the maximum available for farmers under the Advance Payments Program from $400,000 to $1 million in 2019.
