AGRI Committee Meeting

    Honourable members of the committee, I see a quorum.

    I must inform members that the clerk of the committee can only receive motions for the election of the chair. The clerk cannot receive other types of motions and cannot entertain points of order, nor participate in debate.

    We can now proceed to the election of the chair.

    Pursuant to Standing Order 106(2), the chair must be a member of the government party.

    I am ready to receive motions for the chair.

    I would propose my friend and colleague, Bev Shipley.

    An hon. member: Hear, hear!

    Are there any further motions?

    Is it the pleasure of the committee to adopt the motion?

    (Motion agreed to)

    I declare Mr. Shipley duly elected chair of the committee.

    Some hon. members: Hear, hear!

    The Clerk: Before inviting Mr. Shipley to take the chair, if the committee wishes, we will now proceed to the election of the vice-chairs.

    Pursuant to Standing Order 106(2), the first vice-chair must be a member of the official opposition.

    I am now prepared to receive motions for the election of the first vice-chair.

    I nominate Mr. Malcolm Allen.

    I'm going to support you on that.

    It has been moved by Ms. Brosseau that Mr. Allen be elected as first vice-chair of the committee.

    Are there any further nominations?

    Is it the pleasure of the committee to adopt the motion?

    (Motion agreed to)

    I declare Mr. Allen duly elected first vice-chair of the committee.

    Some hon. members: Hear, hear!

    The Clerk: Again, pursuant to Standing Order 106(2), the second vice-chair must be a member of an opposition party other than the official opposition.

    I am now prepared to receive motions regarding the second vice-chair.

    It has been moved by Monsieur Lemieux that Mr. Eyking be elected as second vice-chair of the committee.

    Is it the pleasure of the committee to adopt the motion?

    (Motion agreed to)

    I declare Mr. Eyking duly elected second vice-chair.

    Some hon. members: Hear, hear!

    The Clerk: I now invite Mr. Shipley to take the chair.

    Thank you very much not just for the opportunity, quite honestly, but for the honour of being asked to chair what I think is one of the most—if not the most—significant legislative committees we have. I think that as we go through life and we watch what we're doing in terms of opening trade around the world for the benefit of not just agriculture but other ones, we will find in each and every one—and I was on the international trade committee—that the foundation of every agreement is agriculture. I think that is what they need in every country and that is the sustainability of any economy if they're going to be in a positive position.

    I want to thank and congratulate Malcolm and Mark. I look forward to working with both of you.

     I haven't been on this committee for a couple of years, but I look forward very much to working with each and every one of you. I know that there are some new faces, Mark. Who all is here? Dick, Joe, Bob, and LaVar, so we have a team.

     I'm sorry. There's still one missing from the NDP.

    It's Alex.

    Oh, okay. Alex is not new.

    We have a great team. I look forward to working with you. Quite honestly, the whole purpose of any committee, and particularly this one, is, how do we move ahead? How do we advance agriculture and look after those who have a concern or what we see as a concern in any of the commodity or processing organizations or those related to agriculture?

    As I mentioned, I look forward to chairing this. If I need some help along the way, please tell me, and if you don't mind, if I need it, I'll ask.

    With that, I look forward to the next meeting, where we can deal with the Standing Orders. We'll look forward to the standing rules, and maybe also, if things go well, we can then start to look at what we may do in terms of studies that we as a committee want to prepare.

    With that, thank you very much. I'd ask for a motion for adjournment.

    I so move.

    Thank you very much.

    The meeting is adjourned.