Agriculture Committee on March 10th, 2010

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

So the motion would be amended to be worded that the competitiveness report will be completed by March 31, and the details, which aren't part of the motion but just for the purpose of understanding, the actual timing of the different issues, will be scheduled by the steering committee.

[Frank Valeriote, Liberal, Guelph, ON]

Provided it's not at the expense of those other motions that need to be heard, leaving you with the discretion to extend the meetings into the evenings so they get done.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

Oh, absolutely. I can tell you that's going to happen.

In fact, I don't think we should waste any more than the suggested three meetings maximum. If we have to extend the hours, we will do that.

You've heard the friendly amendment. I'm going to call the question on the amended motion.

(Motion agreed to)

Thank you very much.

With that, unless there's something else....

You have a question, Wayne.

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

On the supplementary estimates, I know we're only looking at money....

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

It's okay for somebody who's independently wealthy to say.

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

We're looking at the money in the supplementary estimates. Would CFIA be here as well in terms of the estimates?

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

I don't know. Would they be?

[Pierre Lemieux, Conservative, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

If the committee calls them.

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

Well, no, on the supplementary estimates, who would be expected to be here? Would it be Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada or CFIA? There are some serious questions that have to be raised with CFIA on some of them.

[Pierre Lemieux, Conservative, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

I'll have to get back to you. I don't know off the top of my head who would be here.

[Randy Hoback, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

Make the request, Wayne.

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

We don't have time in our schedule if we have to request them separately.

There are some serious problems with the movement of potatoes.

[Randy Hoback, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

You're there to talk about the supplementary estimates, not about potato problems.

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

Yes, but they can come up in that discussion.

[Randy Hoback, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

Those are two different meetings.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

Order, please.

Alex is next.

[Alex Atamanenko, NDP, British Columbia Southern Interior, BC]

Just so I understand, we're trying to get back on track as of next week, so between now and next Monday we need to have a steering committee meeting.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

There will be a regular business meeting at our scheduled time, starting on Monday. Right now, unless we can make something work tomorrow for a steering committee--I'm not going to be here Friday--my plan is to have a steering committee meeting on Monday before QP. That's my intention at this point, Alex.

[Alex Atamanenko, NDP, British Columbia Southern Interior, BC]

Then we come here. If the steering committee isn't meeting, do we have something for the agenda for next Monday so we can get going, or are we just going to sit around and talk more about what we have to do? Are we going to get down to business next Monday at this meeting or not? If we are, let's get something going here.

[Pierre Lemieux, Conservative, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

Let's do the report.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

Mr. Shipley.

[Bev Shipley, Conservative, Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON]

Mr. Chair, just for clarification, unless the steering committee goes, we have the report we can start Monday.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

Yes. If the steering committee decides on Monday or whenever it has the meeting, Alex, that it wants to move to other business at the Wednesday meeting, we can do that.

[Alex Atamanenko, NDP, British Columbia Southern Interior, BC]

So we're going to come here Monday ready to get on the report, then.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

Yes, basically we would deal with the report on Monday. If you want to deal with another issue on Wednesday, that's totally up to the steering committee. Fair enough? Okay.

There being no other business, I'd entertain a motion to adjourn.