International Trade Committee on Nov. 17th, 2009

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

All right.

[Scott Brison, Liberal, Kings—Hants, NS]

My first amendment would be to replace the section “Canadian cattle and beef exports” with “Canadian exports”, and to replace “promotional budget for Canadian beef” with “promotional budget for Canadian exports”.

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

Okay, so the first amendment would be to essentially delete “cattle and beef” from the first line. And the second would be to replace “promotional budget for Canadian beef” with “promotional budget for Canadian exports”. So you're essentially replacing with “Canadian exports” instead of just limiting it to Canadian cattle and beef.

Okay. Have we all heard the amendments? Is there any discussion of the amendments?

Mr. Julian.

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

Thanks, Mr. Chair.

I certainly understand Mr. Brison's intent. I think that would be best accomplished by another motion, which I would certainly support, on Mr. Brison's part.

It is true that we are underfunding our Canadian promotional budgets in most sectors. There are a few sectors where that is not the case. In this case, very clearly, the cattle and beef industry are underfunded. There's no doubt about that. They've come before this committee twice to say it very clearly.

Though I understand his intent, I think it would best be served by having another motion that the Liberal Party could bring forward talking about the overall budgetary envelope, and I would certainly support that.

In this case, the cattle and beef industry has been historically underfunded. They've come here, they've spoken twice to the committee about this. And I think we have a responsibility as a committee to acknowledge the very clear message they gave to committee about that underfunding, and as a result of that, provide for that playing field, an equal playing field with Australia and the United States.

The other issue of course with the amendment would be, then, that in various sectors we have various competitors that are funding their industries to a higher level than we are, setting a higher standard than Canada is, so the motion wouldn't work as well with the amendments. It would essentially talk about Australia and the United States, which are clearly our competitors in the cattle and beef industry but not in other sectors.

So I understand the intent, and I hope Mr. Brison will understand that I would be supportive of his bringing forward a motion that is more global in scope, but for the purposes of this motion, I think what it does is it turns the focus away from the cattle and beef industry, despite the fact that they've come to us twice.

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

Okay.

Monsieur Guimond.

[Claude Guimond, Bloc, Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC]

I agree with Mr. Julian. Given everything that has occurred in the beef sector, particularly with respect to the mad cow crisis, and the economic crisis, I truly believe that we need to promote beef before anything else. Promoting exports will then follow suit. I'm in favour of the motion, as it is drafted. If we concentrate on promoting beef first, we are putting the horse before the cart.

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

Thank you.

Mr. Cannis.

[John Cannis, Liberal, Scarborough Centre, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Chairman, I'm glad I'm speaking third, actually, because I listened to the views of my two other colleagues.

I can appreciate what my colleague Mr. Brison is saying, because the intent, if I understand it correctly, makes a lot of sense, given what we just heard from our witness a minute ago. For me it seems, Mr. Chairman and colleagues, that it covers all. It's sort of like a complete umbrella of what Mr. Brison's amendments are intending to do. And maybe he can correct me if I'm wrong, but I think it also gives it more latitude, as well, in the sense that he's saying, if I recall correctly, to replace “Canadian exports”, and he takes out “cattle and beef”, and also, further down, on the second part, “promotional budgets for Canadian exports”.

I think he's blanketing it all and he's giving much more latitude, which I would think, Mr. Chairman, would make every Canadian happy. So I would like to extend my support to Mr. Brison's amendments.

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

Thank you.

Is there any further debate on the amendment?

[Gerald Keddy, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margaret's, NS]

Put the question on the amendment.

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

Then we will vote on the amendment.

Would those in favour of the amendment proposed by Mr. Brison, that the words “Canadian cattle and beef exports” be replaced with “Canadian exports”, and that the phrase “promotional budget for Canadian beef” be replaced with “for promotional budget for Canadian exports”, please raise their hands?

[John Cannis, Liberal, Scarborough Centre, ON]

What's the matter with you guys? Don't you want to support Canadian exports?

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

Those opposed?

(Amendment negatived)

[Scott Brison, Liberal, Kings—Hants, NS]

Now it can be said that I've been able to bring the Conservatives and Mr. Julian together.

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

Is there any further debate or amendments?

[Scott Brison, Liberal, Kings—Hants, NS]

Mr. Chair, I have a second amendment, which would add the following sentence to the end of the motion: “Furthermore, that the committee urge the government to move quickly to negotiate additional free trade agreements that reduce tariffs and improve market access for Canadian products.”

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

Okay. Is there debate on the amendment?

Mr. Cannis.

[John Cannis, Liberal, Scarborough Centre, ON]

I have a quick comment, Mr. Chairman, to what our witness said earlier today when he referred to Korea--that we should move, if I recall, as soon as possible. We'd like to move as quickly as we can on the Canada-Colombia, Mr. Chairman. As I see it in my questions, we've got to get out there, be proactive, and get our share of the business.

[An hon. member]

Hear, hear!

[John Cannis, Liberal, Scarborough Centre, ON]

Mr. Brison's amendment makes a lot of sense.

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

Thank you.

We have Mr. Julian, Mr. Guimond, and then Mr. Holder.

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

Actually I'll wait for Mr. Guimond and then I'll speak after.

[Claude Guimond, Bloc, Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC]

Thank you, gentlemen. I do not see the importance of adding that. I would go back to my initial comment, namely, that it is absolutely essential that we invest in beef promotion. Everything pertaining to exports or tariffs will be negotiated after. With respect to the beef industry, it is absolutely essential that we invest in promotion. That is my opinion and I am sticking to it.

[The Chair, Conservative, Lee Richardson]

Thank you.

Mr. Julian.

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I'd like to amend Mr. Brison's amendment by deleting “free” and simply having “trade agreements”.