Statement made on 28 April 2010 by Senator Terry Mercer
Hon. Terry M. Mercer:
Honourable senators, my question is directed to the Leader of the Government in the Senate. Atlantic Canadians are no strangers to job losses and increased costs. Nowhere is it truer than in the agriculture sector. Producers and processers are declining far too quickly and the federal government seems to be standing idly by as prices go up and jobs disappear.
For example, this past March, Larsen Packers Ltd. shut down its pork processing line in Berwick, Nova Scotia, resulting in more job losses in an industry that cannot take any more. Nova Scotia farmers will now have to ship their products farther way, resulting in more costs. Indeed, this situation is affecting more than Nova Scotia farmers; New Brunswick hog farmers who used the Larsen plant are obviously affected as well.
Why has the federal government not acted quickly to help our farmers and processers, who are suffering while trying to make a living?
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