Looking at agriculture in the four main party platforms
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
With less than a month to go before Quebec’s provincial election, the leaders of the four main political parties are busy campaigning and meeting with potential voters.
As Canada’s second-largest agricultural contributor to the national GDP, it is not surprising that each of the parties include Quebec’s farmers in their election platforms.
So, here is a brief look at the four main parties and their plans for Quebec agriculture.
From left: Manon Masse, Philippe Couillard, Jean-Francois Lisee and Francois Legault.
Party | Leader | Plans for Agriculture |
Quebec Liberal Party | Phillipe Couillard (Incumbent) | - Continued defense of supply management - Limiting the purchase of farmland by investment funds to 100 hectares per year - Maximize agricultural successors’ eligibility for government funds - Modernizing legislation focused on the preservation of farmland - Developing a new agricultural property tax credit program |
Coalition Avenir Quebec | Francois Legault | - Defend supply management - Create a $50-million fund to leverage private investment in agriculture - Invest in innovation, the development of food processors and diversification of activities, - Mandate that schools, hospitals, shelters and government agencies source food from local producers - Make land and farm transfers easier - Reduce farmland property taxes and reduce the amount of paperwork farmers must pay for and complete. |
Parti Quebecois | Jean-Francois Lisee (Also the party’s agriculture critic) | - Ensure half of the food in schools and hospitals is sourced locally - Set up a food compliance group to make sure imported products face the same standards as local products - Place an emphasis on organic agriculture - Launch a new campaign to promote local food Though supply management was not detailed specifically in the platform, Lisee stood alongside his three opponents to show a united stance in support of dairy farmers last week. |
Quebec Solidaire | Manon Masse (Spokesperson) | - Support agricultural diversification - Maintain supply management but ensure quota is shared with young farmers - Offer financial support for new operations - Provide female farmers with paid vacation, parental or sick leave and establish funding programs for women interested in ag - Support mental health for farmers - Support farmers transitioning from conventional to organic production - Adopt a food sovereignty policy to support and promote local food - Protect farmland from other uses |
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