Proposed content changes to qualify for a Made in Canada food label are still causing controversy throughout southern Alberta’s sugar beet industry.
Changes are being considered by Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) that would lower the percentage of Canadian sugar in processed foods, while still allowing for the Made in Canada appellation. Current regulation regarding content requires 98 per cent of the ingredients like sugar to be of Canadian origin to qualify for the label.
Medicine Hat MP LaVar Payne is opposed to any changes that could affect the sugar industry in his riding.  “The Canadian food manufacturers or processors, there’s a bunch of them who obviously make consumer products, cakes, pies and all the rest of that sort of stuff — they would like to change the content and still be able to use the Made in Canada or Product of Canada labels. The Alberta caucus group, for all Alberta caucuses, is behind a letter that we sent to Minister Gerry Ritz (federal minister of agriculture). That was a letter by myself and Rick Casson (MP for Lethbridge), because both of us have got a lot of sugar beets in the area, it’s a really important issue for us, and obviously for the sugar beet growers. Part of the problem is that we’re supporting the growers, and I’m not sure where Lantic sits on the whole issue. So, I’m not sure if they’ve been involved in those hearings or not.”
Payne explained the CFIA is following through on a promise to manufacturers to review the impact on the food-processing industry of the new Made in Canada labeling regulations implemented in 2008.
“I know that in the process, when all of those new regulations came out in 2008, having to have 98 per cent Canadian content, they said that they would review that in 2009, and I think that’s why these hearings are going on. That’s what the minister initially said in 2008, that they would review the content issues after a year or so, to see from a consumer point of view, and also from organizations that are in the business of preparing foods, for this product label, Made in Canada. And so that was the original agreement, and so that’s what’s happened. It’s probably over a year later now, but in any event, that was already set in place that it was going to happen.”  
Payne indicated his impressions of the minister’s response are favourable toward his and the sugar beet industry’s position on the content issue.
“We got a response from Minister Ritz, and the way I read it, they may be able to use some different terminology, but not the Made in Canada. But those hearings, I don’t know if they’ve got the results in yet, or if they’re finished. But my impression from the letter that both Rick and I got from the minister was that in fact, the way I read it, it was sort of between the lines, was that he had no desire to change that.”
Payne is emphatic in his opposition to the proposed changes that could have an impact on the industry.
“So, I don’t know where it’s going to go. I guess at some point it will come back to him, and potentially go to cabinet for some sort of decision. I support the Alberta Sugar Beet Growers, as well as Rick Casson, as well as all of our colleagues in Alberta.”
Ritz is supportive of the industry’s position, according to Payne.
“My impression is that Minister Ritz is in our corner. In the spring of 2009, there was a meeting. Minister Ritz was there, and I believe Minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn (minister of state for agriculture), and we were talking about this issue, and we were talking about ag issues, and we were talking about made in Canada product for the food industry. They were concerned about sugar content, and I was going to jump in and say we’ve got lots of sugar in Alberta. And actually, Minister Ritz, before I could open my mouth, said that very same thing. I believe he’s in our corner.”