An e-petition drawing attention to Ottawa’s pledge to reduce emissions from fertilizer use is making its way through the House of Commons process.
Manitoba Conservative MP Dan Mazier said the more signatures the better.
Ottawa wants emissions from fertilizer reduced by 30 percent by 2030.
Petition e-3940 calls on the government to work with farmers and others “to ensure any plan to reduce agricultural emissions does not restrict or financially discourage the amount of fertilizer that Canadian farmers use and does not limit Canada’s ability to maximize food production.”
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Mazier said his research showed the government is looking at limiting how much fertilizer producers can buy.
“It’s an actual thing, which is very, very concerning,” he said.
Limiting food production, particularly considering the war in Ukraine, is not something Canada should contemplate, he said.
“First of all, the target is kind of alarming and you’re going to limit the amount of food producers can grow,” said Mazier. “Fertilizer has basically changed the way we produce food in the world. We should be looking at ways that we can grow our production and putting a limit on farmers I don’t think is a very good way of looking at things.”
Mazier said Ottawa would be better off supporting the 4R Nutrient Stewardship Program and any other efficiency tools.
The petition is open for signatures until July 21 at 10:30 a.m. EDT on the federal government’s petition website.
Once initiated, e-petitions require the support of five residents before they can be authorized by an MP. They then remain open for a period of time and are certified by the petitions clerk if they draw at least 500 signatures. The authorizing MP then presents it in the House for government response.
As of April 25, the petition had 602 signatures.
