Greenbook

Data Collection on Agricultural Chemicals G18-P024

The GPC supports government collection and publication of high quality open data on the presence of agricultural chemicals in the environment, food, animals and people, so that any external cost of chemicals may be identified and included in decisions regarding agricultural practices. 

On Introducing a Country-Wide Ban on Neonicotinoid Insecticides (eg imidacloprid)  G14-P57

BE IT RESOLVED that this 2014 Green Party of Canada BGM express its profound disappointment in our federal government’s lack of action on the use of neonics, and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that The Green Party of Canada call for an immediate multi-year moratorium on the use of neonics except in situations directed at research into their efficacy and impact. 

Canadian Ban on V-GURT or "Terminator" Seeds Technology  G08-P029

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Green Party of Canada seeks a Canadian ban on all forms and applications of Genetic Use Restriction Technologies through support of bill C-448. 

Preservation of Canadian Farmland  G08-P065

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Green Party MPs: 

• Work to have the Canada Land Inventory program reinstated, adequately funded, and mandated to update and keep current a comprehensive record of land capability and land use as a vital ongoing aid to local planning; and, 
• Advocate that the federal government provide sufficient fiscal incentives to other levels of government, especially municipalities, so that they preserve farmlands under their jurisdictions.

Localized Organic Agriculture to Mitigate Climate Change G08-p072

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that localized organic agriculture, including urban agriculture, coupled with ecological sanitation, become a central component of the Green Party of Canada’s Climate Plan; and 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that relevant Green Party of Canada policy documents be adjusted to accommodate and support the central role that local organic agriculture must play in mitigating and reversing climate change, providing food security, restoring soil health, improving human health, protecting water, and providing sustainable livelihoods for citizens. 

G06-p34: Agriculture Policy 

BE IT RESOLVED THAT the platforms and policies of the Green Party of Canada henceforth separate the topics of Agriculture and Fisheries; 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Green Party of Canada incorporate the following points into the platform and policy for Agriculture: 

• Require all foods in Canada to clearly label genetically modified organisms (GMO) content. 
• Develop and implement training to ease the transition to organic farming funded by transferring tax revenue collected from a health and environment tax placed on non-organic pesticides and other non-organic input chemicals for farming and cosmetic lawn maintenance. 
• Offer a one-time tax break incentive for grocers to renovate their produce departments to include a local and/or organic section. Additional transfer payments made to provinces with Agriculture and Vocational Agriculture post-secondary education programs in order to massively reduce or eliminate tuition for those programs. Provincial governments will be encouraged to develop agriculture focused secondary school programs. 
• Implement and enforce the registry for all newborn cattle and require BSE testing for all cattle entering the food system. 
• A follow-up to the 5% biofuel content target of 2010. The GPC will promote 10% biofuel content by 2015 and 20% by 2020. GST and other taxes will be collected from consumers only on the percentage of non-renewable resource fuel. The biofuel portion will be tax-exempt. 
• Shift government supported research away from GMO biotechnology towards organic food production and efficient biofuel crop development. 
• Implement a "Canada First" purchasing policy for all Canadian Government departments that purchase food with an emphasis on purchasing within the host province as preferential. 

G06-p56: Agricultural Research 

BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Green Party of Canada support the establishment by the federal government of a special Agricultural Research Climate Adaptation Fund designed strategically using the best available information on likely Climate Change across Canada; 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT this Fund (along with other Climate Change adjustment measures) be financed by a Comprehensive set of tax policies designed to discourage increased use of fossil fuels; 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the role of PFRA (Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration) be re-examined in collaboration with the Provinces and the farming sector to establish how this organization might be adapted to use the latest in modern information technology to help extend information on climate change and research results to farmers as quickly and effectively as possible.

1998 - Agriculture 

A Green Party government would undertake: 

• to develop and communicate eco-agricultural models and practices from studying and synthesizing principles from the diversity of sustainable, natural and eco-community-centred agricultural approaches created by indigenous peoples and traditional subsistence mixed farmers together with modern sustainable, organic agriculture, regenerative agriculture, permaculture, agroecology, and other approaches to farming the natural way in nature's image to phase out Agriculture Canada and other federal research support for large-scale agribusiness chemical, pesticide and genetic and other bioengineering practices and refocus support on the development of family and community scale ecological agriculture models, principles and practices such as biological soil and pest management approaches like soil rebuilding crop rotations, companion planting, intercropping, and perennial polycultures. 
• To support basic and field research in the natural breeding, field trials, propagation and protection of alternative ecologically adaptable crops such as native perennials, 'heritage' vegetables, grains, legumes and fruits, hemp and quinoa. 
• To support the establishment of a diversity of public and farm-based model demonstration and experimental stations for extension and education in each of Canada's natural regions. 
• To phase-out federal support for college and agency agribusiness educational programs and refocus supports on family farm and community scale eco-agriculture workshops, distance education, undergraduate and graduate and diploma. 
• To establish, monitor and enforce Eco-agriculture Standards, Certification and Labeling. 
• To support the efforts of organic and ecological agriculture associations in establishing organic/ecological farm practice codes, standards and certification processes. Included in the principles and standards would be: the use of naturally bred, non genetically manipulated plant or animal seedstock; soils, plants and pests managed and grown without synthetic pesticides or significant soil loss or deterioration; farmstead and fields planned and worked as part of an integral preserved or restored ecommunity of native woodlands, grasslands, wetlands and watershed protecting native plant and animal habitat; livestock provided with species-appropriate shelter, space and freedom of movement, clean water, natural foods free of antibiotics, no growth or lactation stimulants and humane treatment and transport. 
• To establish, monitor and enforce a system of labeling for both domestic and imported foods as to contents, chemicals utilized in cultivation and pest management, seedstock breeding history if genetically engineered, livestock husbandry practices. An 'organic audit trail' and a regularly monitored and enforced food pesticide residue level process would be required components of this certification system. 
• To inform consumers of the excessive amounts of protein, particularly meat protein used by Canadians. 
• To revise the Canada Food Guide to present legumes, vegetables, fruits and grains as a complete alternative to a meat based diet and one which will meet all nutritional needs, including all proteins, while reducing health hazards such as heart, stroke, kidney , urinary, osteoporosis and certain cancers. 
• To cancel or renegotiate completely those aspects of GATT and NAFTA which distort and limit Canada's ability to restore a community and regionally based self sufficient and sustainable ecological agriculture and food provision system. 
• To support each people's right to food self sufficiency. Where climatic and other natural limitations restrict the growing of food necessities by Canadians or other peoples, equitable trade will be established directly between producer and consumers. Cooperatives or similar Green structures would replace transnational food cartels. 
• To complete a national Environment Canada/Agriculture Canada GIS Canada Land Inventory-based map zoned for agricultural and ecological integrated use planning and protection to develop, cooperatively with the provinces, a program of land use and protection standards and practices, education, incentives, disincentives and expropriation compensation to ensure that land managers utilize and/or protect their lands as per its zoning such that: prime farmland is protected for agriculture from industrial or residential development; endangered plant and animal habitat, and special ecocommunities are given perpetual protection; farms are generally developed and operated as part of a sustainable natural ecocommunity by protecting and /or restoring native woodlands, grasslands, wetlands and watersheds. 

1996 - Agriculture 

Resolved that the Green Party of Canada work for: 

• increased employment through the establishment of small farms; 
• funding only organic farming techniques research; consumer support of local farms; 
• re-introduction of heritage varieties; 
• 50% of all farms to be organic within 15 years; 
• development of a Canadian and an international certification program for organic produce; 
• five-year phase-out and eventual ban on all synthetic pesticides and herbicides; 
• removal of tax rebates for fuel and equipment purchases.