Exactly.
Evidence of meeting #50 for Agriculture and Agri-Food in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was federal.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #50 for Agriculture and Agri-Food in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was federal.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
Earl Dreeshen Conservative Red Deer, AB
—so people don't continually do the same thing because they have been doing it.
5:10 p.m.
Vice-President, Policy and Programs, Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Absolutely.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bev Shipley
Thank you very much.
I know Mr. Keddy has a short question, and then we will likely wrap it up.
Mr. Keddy.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
Gerald Keddy Conservative South Shore—St. Margaret's, NS
You spoke a bit about the council of the premiers and their ongoing discussions on trying to cut some of the bureaucracy, and that's not using that in a negative way.
Did they also look at the Agreement on Internal Trade and specific sizes on trucking restrictions and trucking weights, and even the ability to travel across borders on a provincial licence?
There are a number of issues that continually affect trade: corporate registration, reporting requirements. All of those issues come back full circle and affect trade.
We're moving away from that quality control that we were just discussing into more of the nuts and bolts of actually moving between jurisdictions. Have we looked at that in a closer manner under our Agreement on Internal Trade?
5:15 p.m.
Chief Agriculture Negotiator and Director General, Trade Agreements and Negotiations Directorate, Market and Industry Services Branch, Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food
I cannot speak on the details outside of the agriculture and agrifood sectors. That being said, the statement made by premiers at the Council of the Federation is one that talks about the modernization and review of the Agreement on Internal Trade as a whole.
We hear from some stakeholders who are active in the agricultural sector about trucking restrictions, for example, because they are using trucks to carry goods that fall under the area of interest of our department. This modernization review that is under way could touch on all of the elements that affect the free movement of goods, services, and people. The broad scope of the Agreement on Internal Trade can be as large as that.
The examples you provided are issues that could definitely fall under the scope of that review.
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
Gerald Keddy Conservative South Shore—St. Margaret's, NS
As a specific example, you're trucking from Nova Scotia to Ontario. You have a product that's only going to be delivered to Ontario and sold in Ontario. Your licence is good for Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. You need a separate licence for the province of Quebec, even though you're not making a delivery in Quebec.
To me, that becomes a trade barrier and an added expense on your freight to your final destination.
Are you aware of that? I think it's more complicated to address that than simply discussing it here, but somehow or another we have to start.
5:15 p.m.
Chief Agriculture Negotiator and Director General, Trade Agreements and Negotiations Directorate, Market and Industry Services Branch, Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food
You're absolutely right.
It's outside of my area of responsibility, but I'm aware of that challenge from a previous responsibility I had when I was working on Canada-U.S. regulatory issues.
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
Gerald Keddy Conservative South Shore—St. Margaret's, NS
Who would be the best people to follow up on this issue of container size, trucking size, licensing? Is it Transport Canada? Is there a separate department? Is there someone we should invite here?
5:15 p.m.
Chief Agriculture Negotiator and Director General, Trade Agreements and Negotiations Directorate, Market and Industry Services Branch, Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food
In the case of the container size, this is something that falls under the Agriculture and Agri-Food portfolio, especially the agency.
In terms of the requirements, I'm sure that colleagues from Transport Canada, or from Industry Canada, as the lead department for matters falling under internal trade, could be of assistance.
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bev Shipley
Thank you, colleagues.
I want to thank the witnesses for coming. This is round one. I appreciate each of you taking the time to come to our meeting.
I can release the witnesses now. We've wrapped up that part. However, before we adjourn, there are a couple of quick things.
First of all, we had talked about having the Canadian Young Farmers' Forum here. They will be coming on Thursday, February 26, and at the next meeting we'll have a motion to deal with that.
Second, Michel does like to have a budget approved for the study. It deals with whether the witnesses come here or are on video conference, and there is some budget for meals. It is an estimation, so if we could have an approval of $17,100, then we can come back to that at a later time if it needs adjusting. We need something so he can start preparing for our next meeting on Thursday.
(Motion agreed to)
Thank you very much.
The meeting is adjourned.