Trudeau action needed now on Canada-China canola dispute

By Letter to the Editor on March 14, 2019.

Recently, the Chinese government cancelled the canola import permit for one of Canada’s largest grain processors, Winnipeg-based Richardson International, citing insect infestation concerns.

Conservatives know that the issue at hand is not Canada’s canola product. Canada produces the best canola in the world. Rather, this calls into question Justin Trudeau’s ongoing failure to handle Canada’s relationship with China.

It is clear that Canadian agricultural producers are paying for Justin Trudeau’s mistakes on the world stage.

I am deeply concerned about the impacts that these unfounded actions by the Chinese government will have on Canada’s agriculture and canola sector, as approximately 40 per cent of Canadian canola exports go to China, with a value of approximately $3.6B in 2017.

Canada’s Conservatives have requested an emergency meeting of the Agriculture and Agri-Food Committee to discuss the Trudeau government’s lack of action on this important file. Trudeau must stand up for Canada’s canola industry and demand that the Chinese government stop these baseless actions against Canada’s agriculture sector.

Glen Motz

Medicine Hat

(The writer is MP (CPC) for Medicine Hat-Cardston-Warner.)

Note: A previous version of this letter indicated Glen Motz to be the UCP MP for Medicine Hat-Cardston-Warner. It has been corrected to CPC MP for Medicine Hat-Cardston-Warner. The News apologizes for the error.

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