Bill 12–The Peak of
the Market Reorganization Act
Hon. Jon Gerrard (River Heights): Mr. Speaker,
a few words on this bill on Peak of the Market.
Peak of
the Market has been around for 80 years. It has an incredible reputation. I
think of all the corporations in Manitoba, it's probably one of the best
known as a Manitoba corporation which Manitobans buy product from every day
of the year, and it's been well-supported. It's not just potatoes; the carrots
are amazing. I have family who makes sure that when they go to the grocery
store that they get Peak of the Market carrots because they're far and away
better than any from anywhere else.
But squash, pumpkins, beets, asparagus, parsnip–all really good products which
do very well here in Manitoba and are sold in many other places, not only
across Canada, but in the United States.
Peak of the Market has an amazing track record and a phenomenal reputation for
contributing to charitable causes in Manitoba. Annually and regularly, they
contribute produce to Manitoba harvest areas and has been for many years,
except perhaps the last two years with COVID, an annual Peak of the Market
dinner. Larry McIntosh, when he was the CEO, came with his carrot microphone
and mini quiz on questions of minutiae of vegetable production and sales in
Manitoba. I've been to many, many of the dinners, and one of the special
characteristics is that every bit of food on the table comes from Manitoba, and
any MLAs who have not been there need to go to a Peak of the Market dinner.
They are excellent and a real tribute to the produce that–in the variety of
produce that is grown here in Manitoba.
The changes which are in this bill will allow for an open market for vegetables
in Manitoba. It holds great promise for the future of Peak of the Market with
the potential for new markets and for new products. It also holds the potential
for significant risks, which it's important to acknowledge, but I believe
that with Peak of the Market's track record and the personnel, that they will
manage to make sure that Peak of the Market does well.
As a caucus, we met with Pamela Kolochuk and Peter Loewen, CEO and chair of the
board of Peak of the Market. We appreciate the time that they took to meet
with our caucus. We understand that Peak of the Market has not only been
consulted but that they've been very involved in developing this legislation
and involved in the design of the changes and support these changes, and think
that it is time to make these changes.
We in the Liberal party are supporters of this legislation. We believe in Peak
of the Market, and we believe that the leaders in Peak of the Market have taken
good care to have a close look at the legislation, and they believe that they
will prosper and do well and that Manitoba will prosper and do well.
We have an excellent climate for growing vegetables and excellent soils for
growing vegetables; excellent conditions we will need in the years of climate
change–warming in the years ahead–to make sure that we've got the water for
irrigation and water storage and that we continue to manage water in ways that
allows growers from–vegetable growers in Manitoba to do well.
We also anticipate that these changes will not only benefit the existing
growers–Peak of the Market, who have signed onto this–that they will also
benefit small and large vegetable producers, new as well as old, and that
vegetables, of course, are seen as increasingly important both for improvements
in health as well as to decrease the overall production of greenhouse gases
when meat is substituted for vegetables and vegetables are consumed to a
greater extent.
So I look forward to many, many more annual Peak of the Market dinners and a
very successful venture in vegetable production in Manitoba by many, many
growers and many good sales in the years ahead from Peak of the Market.
Thank you, merci, miigwech, dyakuyu. All the best for the Peak of the Market in
the years to come.
Comments
Post a Comment