On 2024-10-24, Alberta Minister for Agriculture and Irrigration (AAI) RJ Sigurdson lead a news conference highlighting Government of Alberta (GOA) concerns with bill C-293, which has reached second reading in the Senate.

Flokk Systems supports GOA’s rejection of C-293

C-293 is redundant to animal traceability, animal health, and public health systems already in place in Alberta and Canada. It is with intent that the authorities and activities created by C-293 are incompletely defined and unconstrained in scope. C-293 increases the cost, and reduces the availability, of in-demand animal source proteins for human consumption without realizing a meaningful improvement in pandemic prevention or preparedness.

A constructive contribution our Federal government could make to advancing human health and food safety would be completing their long, and repeatedly, delayed approval of the federal regulation necessary to realize full implementation of the industry defined, industry supported, and industry funded animal traceability system, the Canadian Livestock Tracking System (CLTS).

Putting aside C-293 is a necessary, but incomplete, outcome

Harm to GOA’s reputation, weakening of the industry’s social license, and sustenance to those who pursue constraining animal agriculture will occur if the general pubic is left with the perception that Alberta’s response to concerns raised related to animal agriculture is limited to outright rejection.

C-293 progressing this far indicates there are broadly held, if uninformed, concerns related to animal agriculture. A complete and effective response to C-293 requires leadership from GOA to advance proactive initiatives that address these concerns, are broadly supported by industry, and are economically achievable and sustainable.

Please read our complete proposal, including four compelling opportunities for action.