Regular government business has come to a standstill in the House of Commons over the past week, decreasing the likelihood that multiple agriculture-related bills will cross the finish line before Parliament is inevitably dissolved for an election.
The impasse over the Liberals’ refusal to yield to a Conservative motion to hand over green tech fund documents to the RCMP has shutdown all progress on government and private member’s bills in the House of Commons.
In addition to the government’s own legislation, including the bill to implement the capital gains tax changes that took effect this past summer, many of the 170-plus private member’s bills currently before Parliament are frozen by the procedural gridlock.
All of these bills would be further delayed by prorogation and would disappear with an election, which could happen sooner than later with temperatures rising and frustrations boiling over on Parliament Hill.
There are at least 13 private member’s bills related to farming and agriculture. Some are essentially dormant and not going anywhere, but others, such as Bill C-234 and Bill C-282, are at the centre of major political disagreements. All of them are facing an uncertain future, along with the current Parliamentary session and Trudeau’s minority government:
(in numerical order)
Bill C-203 – Soil health strategy
Introduced by Alistair MacGregor, New Democrat, in November 2021.
Status: Still awaiting second reading in the House of Commons.
This bill from the former NDP ag critic would require the creation of a national soil health strategy. It’s a topic that has received plenty of attention from the Senate ag committee, but MacGregor’s bill has not advanced at all in the House of Commons.
Bill C-234 – Carbon tax exemption for grain drying
Introduced by Ben Lobb, Conservative, in February 2022.
Status: House of Commons currently considering amendments made by the Senate. Could pass quickly if it makes it on agenda for debate and Conservatives choose to vote in favour.
The bill that was supposed to remove the federal carbon tax from propane and natural gas used on farms for at least eight years was amended by the Senate last December to only apply to fuels used for grain drying over a three-year period. The carved-out version of the bill was to be brought back for debate and potentially a vote in the House of Commons last week, but it was kicked down the road until at least the end of October due to the current impasse in the House.
The NDP and Bloc have voiced support for the stripped down version of the bill, leaving the ball in the Conservatives’ court on whether they will allow a vote and then vote in favour to send it for Royal Assent.
Based on polls, it’s likely the Conservatives will form government sometime within the next 12.5 months and cancel the tax shortly after that, but the Ag Carbon Alliance is still urging MPs to pass C-234 as is in the next few weeks to remove the carbon tax on drying grain, even if it’s only for a limited time.
There’s also talk about a new private member’s bill being introduced to keep the issue in front of lawmakers. It would bring back the parts of the bill that were taken out by the Senate, potentially going further to extend a proposed carbon tax exemption to commercial grain drying.
Bills C-244 and C-294 – Right-to-repair and interoperability
C-244 was introduced by Wilson Miao, Liberal, in February 2022. C-294 was introduced by Jeremy Patzer, Conservative, in June 2022.
Status: Both these bills were approved by the House of Commons and have advanced to the Senate committee stage.
These bills would change the Copyright Act to allow Canadians to circumvent or bypass digital “locks” to diagnose, maintain and repair technology, such as farm equipment (C-244) and to allow two different devices or technologies, such as two brands of farm machinery, to work together (C-294). The Senate committee on Banking, Commerce and the Economy is currently holding meetings to study both bills, so they still have a small chance of moving ahead.
Related: Bill to unlock equipment interoperability stalled in the Senate
Bill C-275 – Reducing biosecurity risks from trespassers
Introduced by John Barlow, Conservative, in May 2022.
Status: Approved by the House of Commons and currently under review by the Senate agriculture committee.
This bill, a reboot of C-205, which died with the 2021 federal election, aims to reduce the risk of biosecurity breaches from trespassers on farms. The Senate ag committee is nearing the end of its review of the bill after hearing from witnesses at five meetings since May 2024. Sponsor John Barlow is scheduled to appear before the Senate committee as a witness on the bill on Thursday (Oct. 10). Barring a sudden election, this bill still has a chance of passing.
Bill C-280 – Financial protection for fruit and vegetable growers
Introduced by Scot Davison, Conservative, in June 2022.
Status: Approved by the House of Commons and currently under review by the Senate committee on Banking, Commerce and the Economy.
This bill aims to protect fresh produce growers in cases where buyers declare bankruptcy without paying. The Senate committee has held two meetings this fall to hear from witnesses on C-280, so it’s still on a path where it has a small chance of reaching Royal Assent.
Bill C-282 – Taking supply management off the table in future trade talks
Introduced by Luc Theriault, Bloc Quebecois, in June 2022.
Status: Approved by the House of Commons and currently under review by the Senate trade committee.
This is the most politically consequential bill on this list, as it has divided farm groups and the Senate trade committee that’s supposed to be reviewing it. The Bloc Quebecois has given the Liberal government a deadline of Oct. 29 to pass C-282 or else the Bloc will begin discussions with NDP to withdraw its support of the minority Liberals, potentially forcing an election if the NDP doesn’t side with the government in an upcoming confidence vote.
Cabinet ministers, including Ag Minister Lawrence MacAulay, have been contacting members of the Senate committee telling them to quickly advance the bill, but four of the committee’s 12 members voted against it at second reading in the Senate, and both the chair and deputy chair are vocally opposed to the bill. They’re siding with export-focused sectors of Canadian agriculture that are concerned the bill will hurt Canada’s position in future trade talks, including the looming review/renegotiation of the North American trade deal.
A rally to support passage of C-282 is planned for Parliament Hill on Thursday. Revenue (former Ag) Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau, MacAulay, and Bloc leader Yves-François Blanchet are among the scheduled speakers.
There’s a chance a committee member could also introduce an amendment, which could significantly delay passage of the bill. Any approved amendment would force the bill to be sent back to the House of Commons, similar to Bill C-234.
Bill C-287 – Banning glyphosate
Introduced by Jenica Atwin, Liberal, in June 2022.
Status: Completed first reading in the House of Commons.
This bill that sought to ban the production, possession, handling, storage, transport, import, distribution and use of glyphosate has not gone anywhere since the former Green Party MP introduced it in the summer of 2022.
Bill C-293 – Pandemic preparedness and livestock production
Introduced by Nate Erskine-Smith, Liberal, in June 2022.
Status: Completed first reading in the Senate.
Farm groups representing livestock and poultry producers have concerns with this bill that would require the health minister implement a national pandemic preparedness plan that, as written, blames livestock production for disease outbreaks and antimicrobial resistance and promotes alternative proteins. It was given final approval in the House of Commons by Liberal, NDP and Green MPs in June. The bill would likely receive plenty of attention at the committee stage in the Senate if it clears second reading.
Bill C-355 – Banning export of horses by air for slaughter
Introduced by Tim Louis, Liberal, in September 2023.
Status: At second reading in the Senate after passing in the House of Commons this past May.
This bill has support from activists and celebrities and would fulfill one of the directives in the agriculture minister’s mandate letter, but it still has to go through second reading and the whole committee process in the Senate, so while still on the agenda, it has a ways to go before Royal Assent.
Bill C-359 – Cutting red tape on approval of new agriculture products
Introduced by Kody Blois, Liberal, in October 2023.
Status: Completed first reading in the House of Commons.
This bill, which aims to cut the red tape for approval of new agriculture products that have been approved in other countries with similar scientific standards as Canada, has not moved ahead since its introduction a year ago. Blois has urged his colleagues in the Liberal government to include the measure in government legislation, such as a federal budget bill. It’s definitely possible a future Conservative government focused on cutting red tape and boosting economic productivity could introduce a similar measure in future legislation.
Bill C-406 – Establishing a framework for national food price transparency
Introduced by Alistair MacGregor, New Democrat, in June 2024
Status: Completed first reading in the House of Commons.
This bill has likely served the extent of its usefulness of keeping the issue of food prices in the spotlight for the New Democrats. It would’ve required the industry minister establish a framework for transparent grocery pricing and unit price displays.
Bill C-407 – Adopting a national livestock brand as a symbol of Canada
Introduced by Damien Kurek, Conservative, in June 2024
Status: Completed first reading in the House of Commons.
C-407 would add a national livestock brand to the country’s official set of symbols, acknowledging the role of Western and frontier culture in Canada’s history. It’s looking like the introduction of this private member’s bill will end up being largely symbolic as well.
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this article stated that private member’s bills would disappear with prorogation. According to the 2017 version of House of Commons Procedure and Practice, prorogation has had almost no effect on private member’s business since 2003, with bills continuing from session to session in the House of Commons following prorogation. PMBs from the House of Commons that are in the Senate must restart the Senate approval process, according to the “Dissolution and Prorogation FAQ” document on the Senate’s website.
