***Example letter to Senators added November 20, 2024
Bill C293 would require the Federal Minister of Health to create a pandemic prevention and preparedness plan that includes:
“(l) after consultation with the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, the Minister of Industry and provincial governments, provide for measures to
- (i) reduce the risks posed by antimicrobial resistance,
- (ii) regulate commercial activities that can contribute to pandemic risk, including industrial animal agriculture,
- (iii) promote commercial activities that can help reduce pandemic risk, including the production of alternative proteins, and
- (iv) phase out commercial activities that disproportionately contribute to pandemic risk, including activities that involve high-risk species;
Alberta and Canada have legislation and regulations that make up a world class animal disease surveillance programs with food safety and biosecurity tools in place to keep our food system secure and minimize the risk to human health.
Bill C293 is written with vague language which some fell unfairly targets livestock agriculture in Canada as a major risk to human health and pandemics. While it is known that livestock can contract and contribute to the spread of disease, some argue that it is wrong to take such a narrow approach to a complex problem. Its also important to note that in the recent COVID 19 pandemic started in a foreign country with a food and agriculture system that in no way resembles Canada’s.
Others have pointed out how essential the access to local food becomes in a pandemic where movement of people and goods are restricted. Canadian’s need to maintain a healthy supply of local food in the event of boarder closures and shipping disruptions as experienced in the recent pandemic.
Many feel that Bill C293 has not been written with the due diligence to consider the implications to Canadian food security, our economy or the negative impact on the wellbeing of our Alberta farm families and the communities they support.
The Province of Alberta, the Alberta livestock groups, and concerned farmers are urging Albertans to join them and other Canadians to advocate that the Senate reconsider Bill C293 and its implications on our local food security. Consider writing to the senators and ask that they vote no to what they feel is a poorly constructed bill, no matter how good intentioned.
In 2023 the Alberta farm cash receipts for livestock agriculture were over $10 billion dollars, and over 40% of the farms in Alberta contributed.
Draft Letter:
Related Links
October 24, 2024 statement – AGI
Bill C293 as passed by the House of Commons
Contact information for Senators
| Municipality | Date of Letter |
| Northern Sunrise County | November 15, 2024 |
| MD Fairview | November 15, 2024 |
| County of Northern Lights | November 18, 2024 |
| Brazeau County | November 18, 2024 |
| Lac Ste Anne County | November 12 & 28 2024, |
| County of St Paul | November 21, 2024 |
| Cypress County | November 25, 2024 |
| Lesser Slave River | November 25, 2024 |
| County of Warner | November 25, 2024 |
| Birch Hills County | November 26, 2024 |
| Clear Hills County | November 26, 2024 |
| MD Willow Creek | November 27, 2024 |
| Leduc County | November 22, 2024 |
| Rocky View County | December 3, 2024 |
| Vermillion River | December 10, 2024 |
| Stettler County | December 11, 2024 |
| MD Greenview | December 16, 2024 |
| Starland County | January 07, 2025 |
| Lacombe County | February 13, 2025 |
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