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
Meeting No. 1
Thursday, October 21, 1999
The Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food met at 9:46 a.m., this day, in Room 307, West Block, for the purpose of electing a Chair and Vice-Chairs, pursuant to Standing Orders 106(1) and (2).
Members of the Committee present: Rick Borotsik, Garry Breitkreuz, Murray Calder, Odina Desrochers, John Harvard, Howard Hilstrom, Gar Knutson, Larry McCormick, Joe McGuire, Ian Murray, Dick Proctor, Gerry Ritz, Paul Steckle, Rose-Marie Ur.
Acting Members present: Claude Drouin for Mark Assad; Jocelyne Girard-Bujold for Hélène Alarie, Sue Barnes for Gar Knutson.
Other Member present: Rick Casson.
In attendance: From the Parliamentary Research Branch - Library of Parliament: Frédéric Forge, Researcher; Jean-Denis Fréchette, Economist.
The Clerk of the Committee presided over the election of a Chair.
Paul Steckle seconded by Ian Murray moved, -- That, John Harvard do take the Chair of this Committee as chairman.
The question being put on the motion, it was agreed to.
Accordingly, John Harvard was declared duly elected Chair of the Committee and invited to take the Chair.
The Committee proceeded to elect the Vice-Chairs.
Garry Breitkreuz seconded by Gerry Ritz moved, -- That, Howard Hilstrom be elected Vice-Chair.
The question being put on the motion, it was agreed to.
Howard Hilstrom was declared elected Vice-Chair, Opposition side.
Ian Murray seconded by Paul Steckle moved, -- That, Murray Calder be elected Vice-Chair.
The question being put on the motion, it was agreed to.
Murray Calder was declared elected Vice-Chair, Government side.
Larry McCormick moved, - That the Sub-Committee on Agenda and Procedure be comprised of nine (9) members, the Chairman, the Vice-Chair from the Government side, the parliamentary secretary and two committee members and from the Opposition side, the Vice-Chair from the Reform Party, a representative from the Bloc, a representative from the NDP and a representative from the Conservatives.
The question being put on the motion, it was agreed to.
By unanimous consent, it was agreed, -- That, the Committee retain the services of one or more Research Officers from the Library of Parliament, as needed, to assist the Committee in its work, at the discretion of the Chairman.
By unanimous consent, it was agreed, -- That the Chair be authorized to hold meetings to receive evidence when a quorum is not present provided that at least 3 members are present including one member from the opposition.
By unanimous consent, it was agreed, -- - That, reasonable travelling expenses, as per the regulations established by the Board of Internal Economy, be paid to witnesses invited to appear before the Committee, and that payment of these expenses be limited to two (2) representatives per organization.
By unanimous consent, it was agreed, -- That the witnesses be given ten (10) minutes for their opening statement and that during questioning of the witnesses in the First Round, there be allocated seven (7) minutes for questions from the Reform Party, the Bloc Quebecois Party, the Liberal Party; then, five (5) minutes for the New Democratic Party, the Conservative Party and the Liberal Party and thereafter in the Second Round five (5) minutes for questions for each Party in the same order as above, alternating thereafter between Opposition and Government members at the discretion of the Chair.
By unanimous consent, it was agreed, -- That, unless there is unanimous consent of the Members of the Committee, forty-eight (48) hours notice must be given to the members of the Committee before any new item of business is considered by the Committee.
By unanimous consent, it was agreed, -- That, the Clerk of the Committee be authorized to only distribute documents available in both official languages.
Howard Hilstrom seconded by Gerry Breitkreuz, moved -- That, no in camera meetings shall occur without a vote by the Committee at an open meeting.
After debate, the question being put on the motion, it was negatived by a show of hands.
Howard Hilstrom gave notice of the following motions:
That, the combined realized net income in Manitoba and Saskatchewan is forecasted to be 98% below the five year average and given that these forecasts include payments under the Agriculture Income Disaster Assistance plan (AIDA) it is clear that the government has not addressed the agriculture income crisis. I therefore move that this Committee study and report to the House on solutions to the farm income crisis that would ensure emergency compensation is immediately delivered to farmers that have not been served by AIDA.
That, this Committee study and report to the House the financial impact on farmers, grain companies, railways, and food manufacturers on any labelling of genetically modified food.
That, the recent tariff imposed by the United States on Canadian live cattle exports is an unjustified burden on Canadian producers and given that this tariff is a symptom of rising protectionism in the United States, I move that this Committee study and report to the House ways to eliminate that tariff on live Canadian cattle, and study and report to the House ways to stave of rising United States protectionism in agriculture.
At 10:21 a.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.
Georges Etoka
Clerk of the Committee