Like other party leaders in this federal election campaign, New Democratic Party leader Jack Layton used a visit to an eastern Canadian farm last week to promote agriculture promises.
While in Essex County in southwestern Ontario, Layton promised to “go to bat” for farmers by strengthening farm safety nets, reducing rail freight costs, investing more than $200 million in farmer training and providing mentoring programs for new entrants to the business.
“Agriculture contributes tens of billions of dollars to our economy every year and it employs millions of Canadians, but for five years, Stephen Harper has turned his back on farm families,” he said. “I will fight for the family farm.”
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In its platform unveiled in early April, the NDP promised to invest $1.18 billion in agriculture and food over four years.
The promise includes a $300 million four-year commitment to invest in the food inspection and safety system, including a pledge to hire 200 more food inspectors.
The platform estimates that improvements in business risk management programs would cost $160 million annually over four years for a total of $640 million by 2015.
As well, programs to support and attract young farmers would cost $50 million a year. Layton also promised that the NDP would stop political interference in the Canadian Wheat Board, preserving it as a single desk seller for prairie wheat and barley.
During an interview in Saskatoon, NDP candidate and former National Farmers Union president Nettie Wiebe was asked why Ontario and Quebec have been the site of most agricultural announcements during the campaign when many of the country’s rural seats are in the West.
She said she didn’t know why Layton used a southwestern Ontario appearance to talk about agriculture policy but noted that Essex County is one of Canada’s largest and most productive food producing areas.
“We like to think we are the farm area of Canada, but of course, many other areas also have agriculture,” she said.
The riding Layton chose for the announcement is an area where the NDP hopes to pick up seats May 2.
