Trudeau minister says claims of agents trespassing on farmers' land are 'misinformed rhetoric'

On Sunday, Saskatchewan MLA Jeremy Cockrill called on Federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault to address allegations that federal agents had trespassed on private property to take water samples.

Guilbeault issued a response on Wednesday, dismissing the accusations as "misinformed rhetoric."

"I believe that we, and Canadians, are best served when we engage on the facts—not heated and misinformed rhetoric," Guilbeault wrote to Cockrill. "In your role as Minister responsible for Saskatchewan Water Security Agency, you will be well aware that water quality is one of those rare issues that unites all Canadians."

Claims that federal agents' work had been related to fertilizer were false, he suggested, adding that they "are not testing water for nitrates or nutrients related to farm runoff, and their study is not related to the non-regulated, voluntary goals of the Government of Canada in an effort to reduce emissions from agricultural fertilizers."

Guilbeault went on to state that if a federal scientist "inadvertently encroached on private land without permission," it could be dealt with "in a mature and informed manner."

He added that Environment and Climate Change Canada would be reviewing its sampling protocols to ensure they abide by local laws before doing any further sampling."

Cockrill fired back at the Environment Minister on Twitter soon after.

"Today's response from Minister Guilbeault attempts to invalidate reports by landowners," he wrote. "Producers have valid concerns about the federal gov't coming onto their land and conducting testing on dugouts, which are outside of the federal government's jurisdiction, without permission."

"We share producers' concern," he continued, noting that, "This situation could have been avoided if the federal gov't had taken steps to collaborate, communicate concerns, and their intentions."

As the Saskatoon Star Phoenix reports, while the law does give federal employees the right to inspect water and land, Cockrill noted that notifying those whose property was being looked at was "the right thing to do."