Evidence of meeting #43 for Agriculture and Agri-Food in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was rail.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Clerk of the Committee  Ms. Chloé O'Shaughnessy
Humphrey Banack  Director, Canadian Federation of Agriculture
Allen Oberg  Member, National Council, Canadian Federation of Agriculture
Gordon Bacon  Chief Executive Officer, Pulse Canada
Greg Cherewyk  Executive Director, Pulse Canada

9:55 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Larry Miller

Order.

9:55 a.m.

Conservative

Brian Storseth Conservative Westlock—St. Paul, AB

On a point of order, Mr. Chair, with due respect to Parliament and to the witnesses, I would hope that Mr. Easter's intervention doesn't take away from Mr. Hoback's time.

9:55 a.m.

Conservative

Randy Hoback Conservative Prince Albert, SK

Thank you.

I guess I'm looking at.... Mr. Oberg, if we're going to look at the system and we're going to look at how we get our product to market in the most efficient way, the Estey and Kroeger reports said you shouldn't even be involved in logistics.

In fact, they said that if you took possession at port it would severely reduce the costs in the system, actually create a system that would be more demand-driven, and allow the commercial contracts to happen between producers, between the elevator agents, and between the board.... It would take the farmers' risk out of the whole system, would it not?

9:55 a.m.

Member, National Council, Canadian Federation of Agriculture

Allen Oberg

I can tell you, Mr. Hoback, that the Canadian Wheat Board saves farmers millions of dollars in logistics every year.

9:55 a.m.

Conservative

Randy Hoback Conservative Prince Albert, SK

Based on what?

9:55 a.m.

Member, National Council, Canadian Federation of Agriculture

Allen Oberg

By tendering to the grain companies, by our commercial agreements with terminal companies—

9:55 a.m.

Conservative

Randy Hoback Conservative Prince Albert, SK

Based on what, though? At what cost? You say you're saving us money.

9:55 a.m.

Liberal

Wayne Easter Liberal Malpeque, PE

Are you going to let him answer?

9:55 a.m.

Member, National Council, Canadian Federation of Agriculture

Allen Oberg

In fact, the number last year was $40.5 million. That's one of the great things about the Wheat Board--

9:55 a.m.

Conservative

Randy Hoback Conservative Prince Albert, SK

Okay, but--

9:55 a.m.

Member, National Council, Canadian Federation of Agriculture

Allen Oberg

--that the size of our operation allows the logistics—

9:55 a.m.

Conservative

Randy Hoback Conservative Prince Albert, SK

--what did it cost the lentil and canola guys for doing your logistics?

9:55 a.m.

Member, National Council, Canadian Federation of Agriculture

Allen Oberg

Mr. Chairman, do I have the floor or does Mr. Hoback have the floor?

9:55 a.m.

Conservative

Randy Hoback Conservative Prince Albert, SK

I have the floor. It is my seven minutes.

What are you costing the canola sector and what are you costing the pulse sector, by being involved in logistics? Do you know what that number is?

9:55 a.m.

Member, National Council, Canadian Federation of Agriculture

Allen Oberg

One comment I'd like to make is that in the whole issue--

9:55 a.m.

Conservative

Randy Hoback Conservative Prince Albert, SK

Do you know what that number is?

9:55 a.m.

Member, National Council, Canadian Federation of Agriculture

Allen Oberg

--cost and service--

9:55 a.m.

A voice

I never--

9:55 a.m.

Liberal

Wayne Easter Liberal Malpeque, PE

Point of order, Mr. Chair.

9:55 a.m.

Member, National Council, Canadian Federation of Agriculture

Allen Oberg

--are two separate issues.

9:55 a.m.

Liberal

Wayne Easter Liberal Malpeque, PE

Mr. Chair, I have got a point of order. If it were us interrupting, you would interrupt us to say to give the witness time to answer.

Now, are you going to chair this meeting, or are you not?

9:55 a.m.

An hon. member

Wayne--

9:55 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Larry Miller

You look after your role here. We didn't interrupt the....

They had their 10 minutes, Mr. Hoback has his seven minutes, and you have your seven minutes however you want to use it--

9:55 a.m.

Liberal

Wayne Easter Liberal Malpeque, PE

And I don't interrupt the witnesses.

9:55 a.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Larry Miller

Well, you're not going to interrupt Mr. Hoback either, so--