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Minutes of Proceedings

44th Parliament, 1st Session
Meeting 103
Tuesday, May 7, 2024, 11:00 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.
Webcast
Presiding
Kody Blois, Chair (Liberal)

• Paul Chiang for Ben Carr (Liberal)
• Dave Epp for Warren Steinley (Conservative)
Library of Parliament
• Corentin Bialais, Analyst
• Daniel Farrelly, Analyst
As an individual
• Frank Stronach, Founder of Magna International, Founder and Chairman of Stronach International
Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute
• Dr. Al Mussell, Senior Research Fellow
Farm Credit Canada
• Jean-Philippe Gervais, Executive Vice-President, Strategy and Impact and Chief Economist
Farmers for Climate Solutions
• Geneviève Grossenbacher, Director of Policy
Ontario Tender Fruit Growers
• Phil Tregunno, Chair
Producteurs de légumes de transformation du Québec
• Pascal Forest, President
Sustane Technologies Inc.
• Peter Vinall, President
• Kevin Cameron, Senior Vice-President, Business Development
Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2) and the motion adopted by the committee on Thursday, November 2, 2023, the committee resumed its study of issues relating to the horticultural sector.

Jean-Philippe Gervais, Phil Tregunno, Pascal Forest, and Peter Vinall made statements and answered questions.

At 12:05 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 12:11 p.m., the sitting resumed.

Frank Stronach, Al Mussell and Geneviève Grossenbacher made statements and answered questions.

The committee proceeded to the consideration of matters related to committee business.

Motion

John Barlow moved, —

Given that:

a) The committee received numerous letters from agricultural stakeholders regarding their opposition to the carbon tax hike on April 1, including from the Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities;

b) Seven Provincial Premiers and 70% of Canadians opposed the government’s 23% carbon tax hike on April 1;

c) The Premiers of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick have issued public letters calling on the government to provide a carbon tax carve out for farmers and pass Bill C-234 in its original form;

d) The carbon tax currently costs greenhouse operators in Canada $22 million a year and will pay between $82 million and $100 million by 2030 when the carbon tax quadruples;

e) 44% of fresh fruit and vegetables growers are already selling at a loss and 77% can’t offset production cost increase;

f) The carbon tax increase this year will cost mushroom farms $7.4 million, by 2030 it’ll be more than $16 million;

g) A sample of 50 farm operations across Canada paid a total of $329,644 in carbon taxes in one month last year, with the increase this year it’ll cost those farms $431,544 and nearly triple over the next seven years to $893,944;

h) The Parliamentary Budget Officer has stated the carbon tax will cost farmers nearly $1 billion by 2030;

i) The 2023 Food Price Report estimates that the carbon tax will cost a typical 5,000-acre farm $150,000 by 2030; and

j) The Food Professor recommends pausing the carbon tax for the entire food supply chain.

I ask for unanimous consent for the committee to report the letters it received from agriculture stakeholders, the Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities regarding the 23% carbon tax increase on April 1, to the House for its consideration in debate on Bill C-234.

Debate arose thereon.

Amendment

Alistair MacGregor moved, — That the motion be amended by deleting the word “Given”, the paragraphs a) to j), the words “I ask for unanimous consent for”, and by replacing the words “the committee to report” by the words “the committee report”.

Debate arose thereon.

At 12:59 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 1:00 p.m., the sitting resumed.

The committee resumed consideration of the motion of John Barlow and of the amendment of Alistair MacGregor.

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Alistair MacGregor and it was negatived on the following recorded division:

YEAS: John Barlow, Dave Epp, Richard Lehoux, Alistair MacGregor, Lianne Rood — 5;

NAYS: Paul Chiang, Francis Drouin, Tim Louis, Heath MacDonald, Yves Perron, Leah Taylor Roy — 6.

The question was put on the motion and it was negatived on the following recorded division:

YEAS: John Barlow, Dave Epp, Richard Lehoux, Lianne Rood — 4;

NAYS: Paul Chiang, Francis Drouin, Tim Louis, Heath MacDonald, Yves Perron, Leah Taylor Roy — 6.

As an individual
• Frank Stronach, Founder of Magna International, Founder and Chairman of Stronach International
Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute
• Dr. Al Mussell, Senior Research Fellow
Farm Credit Canada
• Jean-Philippe Gervais, Executive Vice-President, Strategy and Impact and Chief Economist
Farmers for Climate Solutions
• Geneviève Grossenbacher, Director of Policy
Ontario Tender Fruit Growers
• Phil Tregunno, Chair
Producteurs de légumes de transformation du Québec
• Pascal Forest, President
Sustane Technologies Inc.
• Peter Vinall, President
• Kevin Cameron, Senior Vice-President, Business Development
Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2) and the motion adopted by the committee on Thursday, November 2, 2023, the committee resumed its study of issues relating to the horticultural sector.

Questioning of the witnesses resumed.

At 1:15 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.



Stéphanie De Rome
Clerk of the committee