Evidence of meeting #69 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 farmers.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5:25 p.m.
Liberal
Charles Hubbard Liberal Miramichi, NB
It was a government member who wrote it?
In any case, I could go on with a lot, but it is nearly 5:30, and I guess tomorrow we will resume to continue our debate on this motion. I know Mr. Atamanenko certainly wants to be heard as well. But it's rather disconcerting that we put all that effort in and it seems that the government has no intention of getting to the important discussion we want to deal with.
I asked Mr. Miller if he thought that four was more than seven, including if you were lucky enough with the chair, which would make five on your side. But you must recognize that a minority government operates on goodwill, and it means it is a minority. It doesn't have enough votes to carry issues. Sometimes you win, and sometimes you lose.
5:25 p.m.
Conservative
David Anderson Conservative Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK
On a point of order, Mr. Chair, in the spirit of that goodwill, I'd like to suggest that we make a motion that we go to the vote on this motion.
5:30 p.m.
Conservative
5:30 p.m.
An hon. member
You are indicating your willingness to vote on this?
5:30 p.m.
Liberal
Charles Hubbard Liberal Miramichi, NB
If that is the willingness, Mr. Chair, I would conclude my remarks and hopefully we can have a vote on it.
5:30 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
It is almost 5:30 and there are other speakers. I have Alex, Ken, and Wayne on the speakers list, unless you guys want to waive your opportunity to speak.
I'm prepared to call the question.
5:30 p.m.
Liberal
Wayne Easter Liberal Malpeque, PE
I want to make one point, spinning off what Mr. Breitkreuz said, in closing, Mr. Chair. This is not about partisan politics, not at all. This is about justice to a group of low-income farm families who have been disenfranchised of their right to a program that they had planned on utilizing by the government itself, by a decision made by the minister 110 days after their tax season. This is about justice for that group of farmers.
We're in agreement on going ahead with the agricultural policy framework in a report, but let's not try to say this is a partisan issue. It's not. This is about a group of people who deserve justice the same as any other, but have been disenfranchised by the government itself, and that's unfair and unjust to them.
With that, we would call the question, Mr. Chair.
5:30 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
I don't see any other speakers, so let's call the question.
(Motion agreed to)
5:30 p.m.
Conservative
David Anderson Conservative Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK
We intend to file a minority report and we will look forward to doing that.
5:30 p.m.
Liberal
Wayne Easter Liberal Malpeque, PE
Mr. Chair, on that minority report, can you tell us...? We've run into this before from Mr. Anderson, from the minority in this committee, which is the government, in which they delayed the ability to table in the House by leaving it the full extent of the time they could and then not having it translated. So can we be assured that a minority report will be to the clerk and translated within 48 hours?
5:30 p.m.
Conservative
5:30 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
Okay, and it's been the common practice of this committee that the minority report is not longer than the length of the report the committee is filing.
We have a motion to adjourn from Mr. Anderson.
The meeting is adjourned.