AGRI Committee Meeting

The Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food met at 11:08 a.m. this day, in Room 371, West Block, the Chair, Larry Miller, presiding.

The Chair presented the First Report from the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure as follows:

That the Subcommittee recommend in the following order this tentative schedule:

One (1) meeting on Supplementary Estimates (B) 2008-2009

Two (2) meetings on Listeriosis

Four (4) to six (6) meetings on Program review

Two (2) to three (3) meetings on COOL (Country of Origin Labeling)

Two (2) meetings on the Cattle Industry

Four (4) to six (6) meetings on competitiveness

Pierre Lemieux moved, — That “two (2) meetings on listeriosis“ from the Steering Committee Report be struck out.

Debate arose thereon.

By unanimous consent, the motion was withdrawn.

Alex Atamanenko moved, — That the National Farmers' Union be allowed thirty (30) minutes for its presentation and that the Committee also invite two (2) or three (3) other producers to be determined and allow for one (1) hour of questioning.

Debate arose thereon.

Brian Storseth moved, — That the motion be amended by adding after the word “questioning” the following: “; and that half-an-hour be added for question and answer time at the end of this meeting, provided that the room be available“.

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Brian Storseth and it was agreed to, by a show of hands: YEAS: 6; NAYS: 4.

After debate, the question was put on the motion and it was agreed to, by a show of hands: YEAS: 7; NAYS: 4.

The motion, as amended, read as follows:

That the National Farmers' Union be allowed thirty (30) minutes for its presentation and that the Committee also invite two (2) or three (3) other producers to be determined and allow one (1) hour of questioning; and that half-an-hour be added for question and answer time at the end of this meeting, provided that the room be available.

It was agreed — That the First Report from the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be replaced as follows and adopted:

That the Committee consider the following matters on the days indicated subject to witness availability:

Cattle Industry - February 26 & March 3, 2009

COOL - March 5 & 10, 2009

Program Review - March 12, 24, 26 & 31, 2009

Competitiveness - April 2, 21, 23, 28 & 30, 2009

Pierre Lemieux moved, — That the Canadian Cattlemen's Association and the Canadian Pork Council be allowed thirty (30) minutes for their presentation.

The question was put on the motion and it was negatived on the following recorded division:YEAS: Randy Hoback, Pierre Lemieux, Blake Richards, Bev Shipley, Brian Storseth — 5; NAYS: Alex Atamanenko, André Bellavance, France Bonsant, Wayne Easter, Mark Eyking, Francis Valeriote — 6.

Randy Hoback gave notice of the following motion: That the Committee travel to Western Canada to meet with representatives of the Canadian Wheat Board and other professionals to investigate the CWB’s substantial losses in commodity trades over the last two years, despite windfall crop prices.

Brian Storseth gave notice of the following motion: That the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food, call before it the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to examine and answer questions regarding the Potato Cyst Nematode and the effect their regulations have had on Potato farmers who have suffered severe losses. And to discuss specifically farms who have been quarantined and/or had their operations closed by an inadequate sampling.

André Bellavance gave notice of the following motion: That the Committee study the repercussions of the government’s decision to set the standard for using the “Product of Canada” claim at 98%.

At 12:49 p.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.