AGRI Committee Meeting

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MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

Meeting No. 16

Monday, February 25, 2008

The Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food met by videoconference at 3:36 this day, in Room 214, Wellington Building, the Chair, James Bezan, presiding.

Members of the Committee present: Alex Atamanenko, André Bellavance, James Bezan, Ken Boshcoff, Hon. Wayne Easter, Guy Lauzon, Larry Miller, Hon. Carol Skelton, Lloyd St. Amand, Paul Steckle and Brian Storseth.

Acting Members present: Roger Gaudet for Ève-Mary Thaï Thi Lac and Bev Shipley for Brian Storseth.

Other Members present: Hon. Larry Bagnell.

In attendance: Library of Parliament: Sam Banks, Analyst ; Frédéric Forge, Analyst.

Witnesses: EcoNovo Consulting Experts: Simon Barnabé, Scientific researcher, Added value production from waste materials. Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association: Kevin Bender, Director; Blair Rutter, Executive Director. University of Sherbrooke: Esteban Chornet, Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering. Centre de formation en entreprise et récupération de Victoriaville: Yves Couture, Director. Conseil québécois du biodiésel: Camil Lagacé, President and Chief Executive Officer. Fédération des producteurs de cultures commerciales du Québec: Benoit Legault, Director General; Stéphane Bisaillon, Second Vice-President. Canadian Biotechnology Action Network: Lucy Sharratt, Coordinator. Canadian Bioenergy Corporation: Ian Thomson, President. Ducks Unlimited Canada: Paul Thoroughgood, Regional Agrologist.

Pursuant to the Order of Reference of Friday, February 1, 2008, the Committee resumed consideration of Bill C-33, An Act to amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999.

Paul Thoroughgood, Benoît Legault, Ian Thompson and Esteban Chornet made statements and, with Stéphane Bisaillon, answered questions

At 4:59 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 5:05 p.m., the sitting resumed.

Camil Lagacé, Simon Barnabé, Lucy Sharratt, Kevin Bender and Yves Couture made statements and, with Blair Rutter, answered questions.

The Committee commenced the consideration of matters related to Committee business.

On motion of Paul Steckle, it was agreed, — That the budget of the Committee in the amount of $ 35,700 for the study on Bill C-33 be adopted.

André Bellavance moved, — That, the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food, through its Chair, send a letter to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food to express the interest of the Committee to have him implement, as soon as possible, the recommendations of its Report 1 – Study on the Collapse of the Beef and Pork Sector revenues – in order to contribute to reducing the problems that the Pork and Beef industry is facing..

Debate arose thereon.

After debate, the question was put on the motion and it was agreed to on the following recorded division: YEAS: Alex Atamanenko, André Bellavance, Ken Boshcoff, Wayne Easter, Roger Gaudet, Lloyd St. Amand, Paul Steckle — 7; NAYS: Guy Lauzon, Larry Miller, Bev Shipley, Carol Skelton — 4.

Larry Miller moved, — That the Chair of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food send letters to the Chairs of the US House Committee on Agriculture and the US Senate Committee on Agriculture, as well as to the US Secretary of Agriculture, requesting them to ensure that the new US Farm Bill is compliant under NAFTA and WTO, particularly as it relates to the proposed COOL (country of origin labeling) regulations and farm subsidies; and further that the Chair of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food write a letter requesting that the Ministers of Trade and Agriculture and Agri-Food contact the above mentioned people informing them that if NAFTA and WTO trade compliance is not achieved in the US Farm Bill, Canada will consider the necessary measures to achieve compliance.

Debate arose thereon.

After debate, the question was put on the motion and it was agreed to on the following recorded division: YEAS: Alex Atamanenko, André Bellavance, Ken Boshcoff, Wayne Easter, Roger Gaudet, Guy Lauzon, Larry Miller, Bev Shipley, Carol Skelton, Lloyd St. Amand — 10; NAYS: Paul Steckle — 1.

At 6:41 , the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.

Jean-François Lafleur
Clerk of the Committee

2008/02/27 12:15 p.m.