Do not sell Canadian agricultural land to foreign countries.

 The first priority of a government is to look after its own citizens. Foreign countries are buying vast tracts of land in New Zealand, Australia and the continent of Africa, to grow food and bio-fuel for their own people.

House of Commons Ottawa May 9, 1972 Mr. Lorne Nystrom (Yorkton-Melville, Sask.) New Democratic Party: "...To go back to the Prairies and to rural Canada, we find that farm income there has dropped rapidly. We find also that the small towns suffer, businessmen are closing their doors or laying off workers. People then have to move from the small towns or village to the city. In essence, this contributes to the destruction of a lifestyle which I think is very much part of Canadian society. It is the fabric of our life from coast to coast. This is the kind of life that I want to protect..."

House of Commons Ottawa June 19, 1972 Mr. William Knight (New Democratic Party) "...At the national level we need legislation which prevents foreign ownership of land."

House of Commons Ottawa March 24, 1976 Mr. Don Mazankowski (Vegreville) "Mr. Speaker, may I direct my question to the Prime Minister. It has to do with foreign ownership of land in Canada. Can the Prime Minister advise the House what progress is being made with the provinces with respect to the establisment of measures to deal with the ownership of land by foreigners in Canada."

House of Commons Ottawa May 20, 1976 Mr. O'Connell (Liberal) "...I want to raise the matter of purchase of farm land increasingly by foreigners, and I will raise the matter in terms of the Foreign Investment Review Agency and is there a role to play in deciding whether or not such purchases are in Canada's interests. Is the foreign purchase of farm land, particularly prime land, in the interest of Canadians...I would appreciate knowing how successful are the effects made by farm credit institutions  to put funds in the hands of young people in order to encourage them to become another generation that will farm."

House of Commons Ottawa November 6, 1975 Right Hon. P.E. Trudeau (Prime Minister) "Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 41 (2) I should like to table copies in both official languages of the letters I have sent to the various premiers---on the subject of foreign ownership of land, and I hope to table shortly the report of the federal-provincial committee on the ownership of land."

House of Commons Ottawa April 27, 1977 Right Hon. P.E. Trudeau (Prime Minister) Liberal: "Mr. Speaker, might I take this opportunity to table an exchange of letters between the premiers and myself on the question of foreign ownership of land, in both languages."

House of Commons Ottawa January 21, 1985 Mr. Dyck (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of State (Government House Leader) Progressive Conservative: "...We must have a review and must know what foreign ownership there is now in this country. The Americans do it. Just last month I note that a Canadian who bought some land in Mississippi has now been ordered by the courts to turn it over because foreigners are not allowed to own land...In Texas it is illegal for a foreign country to buy up control of a Texas corporation....There are laws in the United States Midwest against the ownership of oil and gas and farming lands."

The government of Canada is selling thousands of acres of prime land to high-tech entrepreneurs and residential developers.

Agriculture Canada owned more than 1 million acres of research properties in 1985:

Corrections Canada decided to sell the prison farms. Canadian writer Margaret Atwood joined a rally in Kingston, Ontario to save the properties. Ms. Atwood also posted a letter to the door of a Corrections Canada building on 440 King Street West, and the note read: 

Prison farms belong to all Canadians

Stop ignoring democracy

Save the Farms Now!

Canadian writer Margaret Atwood in Kingston, Ontario.

Ownership of the building where Ms. Atwood posted the letter was in limbo a few years ago. "Joyceville and Pittsburgh farm land could be worth $2 million dollars. The Regional Headquarters at 440 and 462 King Street West in Kingston could net $17 million dollars." (From: A Roadmap to Strengthening Public Safety-Report of the Correctional Service of Canada.)

St. Helen's on King Street West.

Agricultural colleges closed their campuses. "Kemptville, Alfred schools may be set to close." "The University of Guelph will shut down its agricultural school campus in Kemptville, Ontario."