APRIL 3, 2006
Members Statements
AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY IN B.C.

R. Cantelon: I rise today to remind the members of the House that you are what you eat. Today is B.C. Agriculture Day and the perfect opportunity for us to recognize the outstanding contribution made by this industry to our province. I believe that we should be very proud of our agricultural sector and the products that they produce.

           As we found out this morning, courtesy of the member for Delta South, British Columbia has more diversification in this sector than any other province in Canada. Many of the products we eat and drink every day come from right here in B.C. I don't think enough people recognize that the items like hothouse tomatoes, wines, apples from the Okanagan, grain from the northeast and many meat products are indeed grown and raised right here in our province.

           One way we can get out and see the wide variety of products that our agricultural industry is producing is by visiting your local farmers' market on a Sunday morning. It's a great opportunity to get out and purchase fresh and local produce and meet the people who produced it. In my community we have Pipers Meat Cleaver, a retailer for great meat and poultry products, specializing in local island products. Anybody who has had the good fortune to enjoy any of their items knows the benefits of eating healthy, local products.

           I would like to finish up by talking about the agriculture planning committee. This committee, which I sit on, will be touring around the province and hearing from British Columbians to establish a sustainable, long-term plan for the agricultural sector. I look forward to being part of this committee and working with the industry and the public to help ensure that our agriculture sector continues to be a key component of our economy.

-30-