(Ottawa) The Bloc Québécois (BQ) is in turn calling for emergency aid for beekeepers who are struggling with a high bee mortality rate, which, it says, will have a definite impact on crops .
Posted at 8:17 a.m.
The Bloc critic for Agriculture, Agri-Food and Supply Management, Yves Perron, tabled a notice of motion asking the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food, of which he is the one of the two vice-presidents, to undertake a study on the various causes of pollinator mortality and possible solutions to tackle them.
The member for Berthier—Maskinongé in the House of Commons reminds us that many beekeepers have to deal with bee mortality rates of approximately 60%. He argues that no production can afford such a loss and that the federal government’s response in this case must be quick and consistent.
Earlier this week at a press conference, the grouping of beekeepers and beekeepers of Quebec (AADQ) explained that the long summer of 2021 has created the conditions conducive to the spread of varroa, a parasite that attacks bees. The president of the AADQ, Raphaël Vacher, recalled that the varroa multiplies every two weeks and that last fall, the presence rates of the parasite in the hives were two to four times higher.
According to Mr. Vacher, the quality of the treatments available against varroa leaves something to be desired and those that exist in Europe are not accessible in Canada. He therefore asked on behalf of beekeepers for federal and provincial aid of 12 million.
Bees are pollinating insects. According to AADQ, their decline will have negative impacts on the production of blueberries, cranberries and apples in particular and when pollination is deficient, the preservation of fruits is shorter and the risk of parasitic presence increases.
MP Perron asserts that bees play a key role in the environment, agriculture and food in Canada and that it is the duty of the authorities to protect them.