OTTAWA, October 27, 2016
Today, Chris Warkentin, Member of Parliament for Grande Prairie–Mackenzie, paid tribute to the hardworking farm families of the Peace Country in the House of Commons.
Warkentin noted that in addition to a challenging season, the Federal Government has made a number of decisions that are negatively impacting farm families.
“Mr. Speaker, farmers in the Peace County are some of the hardest working men and women in the country. During harvest, work starts before the sun rises and isn’t done til long after the sun sets.”
“Farm families set everything aside during harvest to ensure that the crops they grow to feed the world, get harvested and this year’s harvest has been unimaginably difficult. Wet weather has hindered harvest operations throughout the Peace Country and much of the crop remains in the fields unharvested.”
“I grew up on a farm, so I know that until there is a foot of snow out in the fields there is always hope that the harvest can be completed. But I also know, all to well, that if the harvest doesn’t get done soon it will create incredible financial hardship for farm families across the Peace Country.”
“I am proud of the farm families that I represent and I know that this year is shaping up to be a hard one. I will do everything in my power to ensure that this bad situation doesn’t get worse. I will fight to ensure that the harvested crop has access to rail transportation. I will also fight the Liberals plan to raise taxes on farm fuel, fertilizer, machinery and grain transport. Now is not the time to make a bad situation worse.”