It's not a joke. This is a strategic reserve for them.
It does seem like a funny thing to do but not when you think about it. Its a commodity. It has a price. Canada controls much of the market. It lasts a long time. Why wouldn’t they have a reserve?
It also seems very rich 21st century to not see immediate value in storing large quantities of food. Surplus is something we take for granted.
(I was kind of hoping it'd be a giant pool of maple syrup)