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Transcript from Queen's Park Raw Milk Vote |
Democracy at Work
in Queen's Park: Hansard Index - MPP Bill Murdoch's Private Member's Notice of Motion to look
into the raw milk issue for an all-party task force examination, December 7, 2006
Here is the link to the transcript:
http://hansardindex.ontla.on.ca/hansardeissue/38-2/l133.htm
Mr. Bill Murdoch (Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound): I move that, in the opinion of this House, the government of Ontario should immediately form an all-party task force to examine the issues surrounding raw milk and that the all-party task force report its findings to the House before the end of the spring session.
The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bruce Crozier): Mr. Murdoch has moved private member's notice of motion number 32. Pursuant to standing order 96, Mr. Murdoch, you have up to 10 minutes. The floor is yours.
Mr. Murdoch: This resolution does not choose sides. It does not say, "Drink raw milk." It does not say, "Don't drink raw milk." This resolution has only one aim: to debate. Debate is the foundation of our democratic system. We were elected to this House to discuss important issues. So today I put before you an opportunity to discuss a subject that has stirred up a lot of questions in our constituencies, in the media, on the street and even at home, but that has not yet been debated among us here in the legislative chamber.
The reason we need to look at this issue of raw milk is because (a) there is a thriving underground market in every constituency of Ontario; people -- families, children -- are consuming this product; (b) the issue of public health is in question, and it is our duty to examine that concern; and (c) none of us here is an expert on food choices, including myself. In fact, I don't even drink milk. Maybe the odd chocolate milk, but that's about it for me. So we should allow an all-party task force to examine the issues related to raw milk.
In Ontario, non-pasteurized milk is illegal for sale; the law is clear.
But it is a 70-year-old rule made during the industrialization of
farming in Ontario when undeniably some of the milk supply was dirty
and deadly. To quote an editorial from the Owen Sound Sun Times -- and
the Sun Times, which I don't always agree with, have agreed that this
is a good resolution and should be debated in the House -- "The
`science' of producing hygienic raw milk has progressed greatly since
the days when our grandmothers milked cows by hand into an old tin
bucket and asked us if we wanted a taste." Today's farms are equipped
with modern, stainless steel tanks, refrigerated trucks and inspection
methods. Today's farming has been made safer with access to these new
tools.
But with that safety comes automation and over-processing, and I think
you'll agree that more people are, for that reason, turning to organic
or all-natural food. Non-pasteurized milk is one of the new consumer
choices.
According to a government document, a quarter of a million Canadians
drink non-pasteurized milk. I don't have the statistics on how many
consumers eat raw fish, buy organic vegetables, organic bread, organic
cheese or juices, prefer their steak raw, or even wear hemp clothing,
but I imagine the number could be on the rise, because consumers today
want choice and control of the product they consume. Some will argue
that provincial and federal laws that require pasteurization of milk
violate the constitutional rights of individuals to make their own food
choices. You decide.
In America, although federal law bans interstate commerce in raw milk,
a patchwork of state laws apply, with sales of raw milk legal in about
28 states. A certified system for selling raw milk exists in nearly
half of the United States. Depending on the state, Americans can
purchase and farmers can sell raw milk. It's a system raw milk
activists here are now fighting for. Should Ontarians have the right to
choose whether they want to drink raw milk or pasteurized milk? Should
we counter the thriving underground market by instituting a certified
process that would allow the government to monitor which local farms
are producing raw milk safely? It could certainly address the issue of
public health. You decide.
I say this, and you will agree: It is essential to make milk, all milk,
safe to consume, because raw milk could, like any other food we consume
-- meat, water, chocolate, and vegetables like spinach and carrots, all
of which were recalled over the past few months -- pose a risk of
bacterial outbreak.
I want to discuss why we're here today. Why is this such a big topic?
As you know, Speaker, and a lot of other people know, in my riding of
Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound we had an incident about a month ago where 20
armed officers of the Ministry of Natural Resources raided a farm near
Durham. The farm was owned by Michael Schmidt, who happens to be
sitting here in the balcony today listening to the debate. I'm sure
he's interested in how people vote on this. But anyway, they raided his
farm -- again, about 20 officers carrying firearms. It was a shock when
I read in the paper that this happened, because in Bruce and Grey we
have a hard time finding a conservation officer when we need one. You
probably know yourself, Mr. Speaker, that we're short around 80
conservation officers right across Ontario. Yet somewhere, somehow,
they found 20 of them and raided Mr. Schmidt's farm. Now they have
charged him -- I don't know what the actual charges are -- and he'll
have to go to court and face that music, whether he's guilty of the
charge or not. That's another whole item. But what it has done is it
has sparked a debate. What it has shown us, if you read the media and
watch television and things like that, is that there are a lot of
people in Ontario drinking raw milk, whether it's legal or whether it's
not.
I understand a lot of dairy farmers themselves actually drink their own
milk, but that's not illegal. They can do that and that's fine. But
maybe we should look at this whole situation surrounding raw milk. I'm
not saying, again, as I started off, that people should drink raw milk
or they shouldn't. I think that's what we have to decide here in the
House. That's why we get elected. When there is a problem in your
constituency or in your riding or in Ontario, I think it's up to us as
politicians to bring that problem here, bring it to where we debate it
and look at it. Maybe we have to make some laws; maybe we leave it
alone. I don't know. But if we don't debate it and if we don't look at
the situation, then things carry on. As we know, a lot of people seem
to want to drink raw milk or are drinking raw milk. So if it's as bad
as the doctors have said -- there have been many editorials that say
it's really bad for you and it could carry disease. We know in the past
it did. Before they brought in pasteurization, we know there were
problems, but that was 70 years ago. So I think it's time for a debate
in this House on this.
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