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AGRI Committee Meeting

Notices of Meeting include information about the subject matter to be examined by the committee and date, time and place of the meeting, as well as a list of any witnesses scheduled to appear. The Evidence is the edited and revised transcript of what is said before a committee. The Minutes of Proceedings are the official record of the business conducted by the committee at a sitting.

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Minutes of Proceedings

44th Parliament, 1st Session
Meeting 88
Monday, December 11, 2023, 3:29 p.m. to 5:38 p.m.
Webcast
Presiding
Kody Blois, Chair (Liberal)

Library of Parliament
• Corentin Bialais, Analyst
• Daniel Farrelly, Analyst
Association des producteurs maraîchers du Québec
• Catherine Lessard, Deputy Director General
• Patrice Léger Bourgoin, General Manager
Canadian Produce Marketing Association
• Ron Lemaire, President
Centre for Future Work
• Dr. Jim Stanford, Economist and Director
Metro Inc.
• Eric La Flèche, President and Chief Executive Officer
Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2) and the motion adopted by the committee on Thursday, October 19, 2023, the committee resumed its study of efforts to stabilize food prices.

Eric La Flèche made a statement and answered questions.

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

Alistair MacGregor gave notice of the following motion:

That given the recent opposed votes in the House of Commons to Supplementary Estimates (B), specifically vote 1b in the amount of $16,108,492, vote 5b in the amount of $11,383,559, and vote 10b in the amount of $34,211,000 for the Department of Agriculture and Agri-food, and vote 1b in the amount of $19,763,134 for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency; the committee undertake a study to examine the effect negative votes on these supplementary estimates would have had on food safety, market access, and on farmers, ranchers, and producers; that the Parliamentary Budget Officer be included as a witness to provide analysis of these effects; that the committee report its findings to the House; and, pursuant to Standing Order 109, the government table a comprehensive response to the report.

Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2) and the motion adopted by the committee on Thursday, October 19, 2023, the committee resumed its study of efforts to stabilize food prices.

Questioning of Eric La Flèche resumed.

At 4:28 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 4:37 p.m., the sitting resumed.

Patrice Léger Bourgoin, Ron Lemaire and Jim Stanford made statements and, with Catherine Lessard, answered questions.

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

Warren Steinley gave notice of the following motion:

Given Canada’s Territories have disproportionately higher food prices due to transportation costs and that the Carbon Tax makes everything more expensive and that the Premier of the Northwest Territories has requested a complete exemption from the Carbon Tax for his jurisdiction; the committee call on the government to immediately carve out the Northwest Territories from the Carbon Tax to bring home lower food prices.

Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2) and the motion adopted by the committee on Thursday, October 19, 2023, the committee resumed its study of efforts to stabilize food prices.

Questioning of Patrice Léger Bourgoin, Ron Lemaire, Jim Stanford and Catherine Lessard resumed.

At 5:37 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.



Stéphanie De Rome
Clerk of the committee