The Green Party stands with Farmers

February 5, 2021

TORONTO — Mike Schreiner made the following statement in regards to the ongoing farmers’ protest in India:

“The Green Party has always stood with farmers since food security is essential for healthy people and communities. Farmers provide sustenance for our communities and without them we cannot survive.

So when millions of farmers rise up to protest new farming regulations that threaten their livelihoods, governments have a responsibility to listen to those voices and come to a resolution.

For months we have seen footage and heard stories from Ontario residents, about the largest protest in human history. Farmers in India have been gathering on the borders of Delhi, sleeping in makeshift tents or on the road in sometimes freezing temperatures and several have sadly lost their lives.

But they continue to do so, to exercise their democratic right to peacefully assemble to have their voices heard.

The violent crackdowns on peaceful protestors, the arrests of journalists, the reports of human rights violations, that we have seen on the news and on our feeds this week is very troubling.

The Green Party of Ontario stands with farmers and hopes for a peaceful resolution in this matter. And we encourage our provincial and federal governments to speak up for the right of farmers to peacefully assemble without threat of violence.”

-30-