Bibeau hosts pre-budget consultation

The early birds caught the ear of Marie-claude Bibeau, MP for Compton-stanstead and Minister of Agriculture and Agri-food yesterday morning to share what they feel should be addressed in the upcoming federal budget.

Among the attendees were Bishop’s University, Townshippers’ Association and Lennoxville and District Community Aid as well as several local mayors, the UPA and heads of local environmental groups and community organizations.

Altogether roughly a dozen representatives from different sectors in the riding gathered via ZOOM to offer five-minute pitches to Bibeau, expressing their needs.

Back by popular demand was the ongoing discussion about the Sherbrooke Airport.

During the consultation several representatives echoed the need for better connectivity in rural areas.

A fair portion of the consultation was spent on the agricultural sector, with UPA president Francois Bourassa reiterating the 14 recommendations already delivered to the minister and highlighting a need for more support to cover the losses incurred by the late arrival of temporary foreign workers. Maxime Lafond, president of the Syndicat de la relève agricole de l’estrie pointed out that 29 per cent of farm operations have shut down in the last decade, and called for more support, a commitment to support buying local and a change in the way farms changing hands in a family through succession are evaluated.

Bishop’s University’s Trygve Ugland pointed out that the university just approved a sustainable food systems program, including a plan for an educational farm on the campus.

Climate change and the protection of local lakes was also addressed by local environmental groups, and Hatley Mayor Denis Ferland made a plea for special aid for waste management sites, specifically for the treatment of leachate and wastewater generated at the sites.

Townshippers’ Association President Gerry Cutting reminded Bibeau of section seven of the official languages act, saying the government must not create policies that territorialize Canada’s official languages. Funding must be continuous, Cutting said, to create the necessary infrastructure to develop programs and find the partners needed to ensure vital minority language communities.

The consultation lasted roughly an hour.