Evidence of meeting #15 for Agriculture and Agri-Food in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was commission.
A recording is available from Parliament.
11:10 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gerry Ritz
Good morning, everyone.
We're going to continue our probe into the--Mr. Anderson already has his hand up for a point of order.
Mr. Anderson.
11:10 a.m.
Conservative
David Anderson Conservative Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK
Mr. Chair, I had some discussions with the members of the committee and I think there's a general feeling that we would like to focus more on the Canadian Grain Commission. We would like a couple more hearings on it.
I'd like to suggest that we have two more hearings on the Canadian Grain Commission next week and then go to our regular schedule after our break week. I would be interested in hearing whether the members would like to do this.
11:10 a.m.
Liberal
Wayne Easter Liberal Malpeque, PE
I don't know what the clerk can tell us about how problematic it would be for our schedule. As we discussed at our last meeting, we are elected representatives and we can't just go with a consultant's report on this issue. It's extremely important. I agree with David that we have to have a more in-depth hearing and that it's crucial to do it now. So if possible, we'd like to stay on the schedule.
11:10 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gerry Ritz
We may want to take a moment and make sure the sky doesn't fall, as Mr. Easter is agreeing with Mr. Anderson.
11:10 a.m.
Conservative
David Anderson Conservative Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK
He'll do that more and more as he gets to know me.
11:10 a.m.
Conservative
Larry Miller Conservative Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON
I was thinking that, but I didn't want to say anything.
11:10 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gerry Ritz
Somehow I doubt it.
We have that on the floor.
Is there anyone else for discussion?
Mr. Bellavance.
11:10 a.m.
Bloc
André Bellavance Bloc Richmond—Arthabaska, QC
There seems to be a consensus. No matter what I say, the study will take us longer, and I don’t formally object to that. However, I’d like to hear a few more arguments in favour of allowing us more time and I want to know the names of the additional witnesses that will appear before us.
Yesterday, I had a discussion with David concerning this subject, and he suggested that the people from the commission come back to testify for another half hour. Have we not well prepared our schedule? If we need two additional sittings, I’d like them to be useful and I’d like us to really complete the work we have to do rather than realize, in the end, that we need more time. I don’t want us to postpone our deadlines unduly. It’s up to us to do our work, to make sure that we’ve heard each and every witness that we need to hear. However, I’d like to know who the additional witnesses that will appear before us will be. Perhaps David can give us more information.
11:10 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gerry Ritz
I'll allow Mr. Easter and Mr. Anderson to put those forward. They may have some witnesses that are similar, but they may also have some that are different.
What's being discussed, André, is two meetings next week in which we would continue on this just for continuity's sake. Then the week after the break we would drop right back to what we'd proposed for next week, which is the trade situation and the golden nematode. It's just a postponement of next week's meetings for the week after the break week.
Mr. Anderson, Mr. Easter, did you want to say anything about the witness list and who you want to include?
11:10 a.m.
Conservative
David Anderson Conservative Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK
I will give you or the clerk the witnesses we'd like to see. Clearly, there's been interest from the industry in this report. There are a lot of people concerned with value-added sectors who want to see this discussed further and to find out what the effect of the suggested changes would be on their industries.
The minister has given the committee an opportunity to play a significant role in how the recommendations will go forward and possibly what shape the legislation will take in the future. He wants the committee to play this role. He's given us the opportunity, so I think we should take it. This is going to set the direction of the grain sector in Canada for a long time. It's in our interest to consider where we want it to go and what's important about it.
11:10 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gerry Ritz
We have a letter from the minister saying that legislative and regulatory changes will come out of this and that fuller hearings would be good.
11:15 a.m.
Liberal
Wayne Easter Liberal Malpeque, PE
I agree.
I don't have the list yet, though I have a number of requests. I think we could probably do it in two meetings.
We absolutely must deal with the golden nematode issue, so we don't want to move that back more than a week. When we're dealing with an issue, we should try to complete it. That's the idea.
I believe there are possible impacts on eastern Canada as well, and we need to hear from witnesses on this issue.
11:15 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gerry Ritz
As to your point about bringing the commissioner back, this may happen in one of the three meetings we have towards the beginning of December, just to get her interpretation of what's been put forward. She's also putting together some recommendations to the minister, and this will take some time.
Alex.
11:15 a.m.
NDP
Alex Atamanenko NDP British Columbia Southern Interior, BC
I'm just wondering what impact this will have on our schedule in light of the fact that we looked at the 17th and 19th and were going to switch them around to tie in with the visit of the fruit growers from British Columbia. Does this now mean they'll be pushed back a week, or do we keep this and try to throw the golden nematode next week somewhere else? How do you plan on doing that?
11:15 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gerry Ritz
Logistically, it would still make sense to have the fruit growers, and so on, here on the 17th, because they are in town already. Is that your point?
11:15 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gerry Ritz
Logistically, that would still make sense. We may have to juggle somewhat that week, but I think we can do it.
11:15 a.m.
NDP
Alex Atamanenko NDP British Columbia Southern Interior, BC
I don't understand then where we'll put the golden nematode and the Canada-U.S. trade relationship.
11:15 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gerry Ritz
Those are things we'll have to work out. We're just going to sort this out next week, and then we'll do the fallout for the week following at that point.
Mr. Easter.
11:15 a.m.
Liberal
Wayne Easter Liberal Malpeque, PE
Is there any way, Mr. Chair, that we could maybe hold an additional meeting on a Wednesday or something?
11:15 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gerry Ritz
Sure. Keep the fruit growers on the 17th, because they're here; put the nematode on the Wednesday; and then we'd go into the trade issues on the Thursday. That's fine.