Jackson to focus on canola, affordability and crime

Brandon-Souris Conservative MP Grant Jackson is planning to push the Liberal government to look for other markets to help canola farmers as they continue to battle the effects of Chinese tariffs.

The rookie MP said he will also fight for more affordable food and housing when the House of Commons returns next Monday and will work to toughen up the criminal justice system.

On the canola issue, Jackson said he will use his voice to “raise the issues that farmers have reached out to me directly about” after China hit Canada with a 75.8 per cent tariff on Canadian canola last month.

“I’ve been receiving a significant amount of (messages) of producers and growers calling in, deeply concerned about watching the canola price as they’re pulling their harvest in off the fields,” Jackson said on Tuesday.

“These are stories that I’m going into caucus with, that I’m going into the House of Commons with.”

The Conservative MP said Liberal Prime Minister Mark Carney has been largely “radio silent” when it comes to a response on China placing the levy.

“The Carney government needs to be taking a dual approach here to addressing the situation with China and also looking for other markets, so that our farmers aren’t facing what they are right now,” Jackson said.

The Trudeau-era Liberals should have been looking at alternative markets, he said, noting China has “played games” with canola in the past.

Farmers are facing “significantly lower prices” than normal because of the tariffs, Jackson said, noting that replacing a buyer that has the second-largest economy in the world is difficult.

Jackson said he will let ag groups advocate for specific short-term goals, as they are the experts on what’s needed now.

“Our focus as the official Opposition has to be on rectifying this situation and pushing the Carney Liberals to take this issue seriously. Now, farmers are really hurting,” he said.

“They need to take some swift action.”

The Liberal government has promised to table a budget in October, and Jackson said he wants to make sure that it contains measures that will help with affordability.

“We are expecting — in a budget this fall — tangible results that will deliver more homes for Canadians — in particular, young Canadian families and seniors on a fixed income,” he said.

“We just need people to get shovels in the ground and actually build housing that people can afford to buy.”

He said another priority he and his party will fight for is lower grocery prices.

“We still haven’t seen a reduction, really, in grocery prices in any substantial way under the Carney government, although they promised during the election to make an impact on grocery prices and affordability overall,” Jackson said.

“People are finding it harder and harder to put food on the table and we haven’t seen much in the way of solutions.”

Another issue he said needs to be tackled as the 343 members of Parliament returns Monday is being harder on crime.

The “catch and release” bail system and “soft on crime” approach “have got to go,” Jackson said. Brandon Police Service and RCMP members are “incredibly frustrated” with the system, he added.

“I’m really looking forward to supporting those (police) officers and supporting legislation that’s to come in this session — to strengthen our criminal justice system, to put victims first and criminals behind bars where they belong,” he said.

“The crime and safety piece is something that we can deliver legislation on. I’m very much looking forward to getting into this session and starting to debate some of these bills with the Liberals, because they have a pretty deplorable record on crime rates in this country that they’re going to have to explain to Canadians when they’re debating our bills.”

On the crime front, Jackson said “things are just out of control” and that the issue is non-partisan.

Jackson is also set to present the petition on election reform he started during the summer. Petition e-6573 was started to combat overly long ballots in elections after Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre had 91 people run in his Carleton riding in the April general election.

The ballots were nearly a metre long and took election workers hours longer than usual to count the results.

Poilievre lost the seat and ran in a byelection in Alberta this summer, where 213 other candidates ran against him. Elections Canada made voters write in the name of their preferred candidate to avoid lengthy ballots.

The petition calls on the government to put in place additional rules for candidates. It would make sure “candidates aren’t just throwing their name on the ballot,” Jackson said in June when he launched the petition.

The petition now has 1,199 signatures.

» alambert@brandonsun.com