By Curtis Galbraith

Agriculture

No new money in federal announcement for agriculture says Warkentin

May 10, 2020 | 7:00 AM

The MP for Grande Prairie Mackenzie says the federal government is falling short when it comes to supporting agriculture.

We asked Chris Warkentin about the federal government’s $252-million announcement from last week.

He accuses the prime minister and his cabinet of refusing to take any action on that front.

“We’ve been asking for very specific, targeted measures which were totally dismissed. All the government has brought forward, really, is a plan to see farmers become more indebted and really expanding the programs that have demonstrated that they were broken already. So, we’re really disappointed with this.”

Warkentin says the $252-million is not new money, but a re-announcement of what was already committed.

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“We’ve suggested that money that’s being given to students should be used to support students getting jobs on farms, giving work experience on farms, but also for them to have some work experience in an environment where they can be safe from issues of COVID. Obviously, on a farm, it’s easier to social distance, all the rest of it.”

While the prime minister says more is coming, Warkentin counters that Justin Trudeau says that after knowing he has failed to deliver.

Warkentin says the Conservatives are worried about how the country will pay back the debt that is building up during what he calls “unprecedented spending” adding the prime minister and the cabinet “spent the cupboards bare” before the pandemic hit.