Evidence of meeting #24 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 marketing.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Bloc
André Bellavance Bloc Richmond—Arthabaska, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I believe the members of the committee are well aware of the issue since we heard recently some members of the Fédération des producteurs de pommes de terre du Québec and of people who are directly affected by the situation in Saint-Amable. Pardon me?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gerry Ritz
I call this meeting to order.
Gentlemen, you've all had a notice that our meeting this morning has been turned on its ear a bit.
To start with, we will move to the motion by Mr. Bellavance, for discussion.
André, do you want to lead us off on that?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gerry Ritz
Mr. Easter was talking rather than listening.
Okay, is everybody ready to go now? Good.
Please continue, André.
Bloc
André Bellavance Bloc Richmond—Arthabaska, QC
Has the motion been distributed? I don't even have it.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gerry Ritz
The interpreters don't have a copy of the motion, Jean-François.
They do now. Good.
André, please.
Bloc
André Bellavance Bloc Richmond—Arthabaska, QC
Thank you very much.
As I was saying, members of the committee are well aware of the issue since we've recently heard representatives of the people who are affected in Saint-Amable.
With this motion, I'm asking the committee to recommend to the government that it consider setting up a special financial help program for those persons since they are not eligible to other types of programs.
I know that there's a press conference going on at at this time. The president of UPA, Mr. Laurent Pellerin, is talking about the problem and is asking the government to provide special help to the potato producers and horticulturists of Saint-Amable.
That's the objective of my motion. We're asking the government to get involved immediately by setting up a financial help program specifically for those producers.
I may add that this is similar to what we did when the Quebec tobacco producers couldn't produce any more, for various reasons. Obviously, we all know that tobacco is not in great demand today and we wanted governments to look at how they could help those producers change crops.
We might consider the same thing for the Saint-Amable potato producers who, quite probably, won't be able to continue this type of production in the future because of what has happened.
Through you, Mr. Chairman, the committee could submit this report to the House.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gerry Ritz
Thank you, Mr. Bellavance.
Discussion?
Mr. Easter, are you reaching for the microphone? Force of habit?
Liberal
Wayne Easter Liberal Malpeque, PE
Yes, it is force of habit.
Mr. Chair, we are supportive of this motion. I think the government has to move quickly to intervene financially, both in the short term and over the long term.
As I mentioned, when the potato producers were here...you do have to put producers in the financial position of being able to accept the restrictions that are placed on them, and not because of getting calls from their bankers and other creditors, not by trying to find ways around the restriction and putting a product on the market that could cause trade disruptions for the country as a whole.
So these producers in this region basically, by not shipping their product—and it's a problem that is caused by no fault of their own—are really giving a benefit to the country as a whole in terms of our trade requirements.
I would suggest, Mr. Chair, in the potato wart issue, which I'm very familiar with in P.E.I., over the long term, the government as a whole has to find ways of taking land out of production indefinitely in these kinds of cases.
I have situations where people are going in on the land. It has to be disinfected by CFIA. They're monitoring it all the time, at a huge cost. The best approach would be just to take that land out of production entirely, put it into forestry or other means, and compensate producers for their lost potential opportunity.
So I'm supportive.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Gerry Ritz
Okay. There were two other outbreaks a few years ago, one on Vancouver Island and one in Newfoundland. We could maybe pattern what this government should do after what the other government did for those two areas that were zoned out. We do have a precedent. I don't know of any financial compensation that the former government paid out to those two zones, but they're in the same situation.
Mr. Bezan.
Conservative
James Bezan Conservative Selkirk—Interlake, MB
Mr. Chair, I want to ask André for some clarification. How many producers are we talking about, and what--
Conservative
Bloc
André Bellavance Bloc Richmond—Arthabaska, QC
About the number of producers who are affected, we got that from their representatives when they came here. There are about 20 potato producers who are involved but there are also some horticulturists whose plots have been contaminated as well. So, they might be added to the number. However, they are not numerous. It is mainly the Saint-Amable area that has been contaminated.
Bloc
Jean-Yves Roy Bloc Haute-Gaspésie—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC
A point of order, Mr. Chairman.
Since the motion has to be seconded before being discussed, I want to tell you that I second it.
NDP
Alex Atamanenko NDP British Columbia Southern Interior, BC
I have a point. I think it would be to everybody's advantage if the government would react quickly to solve this immediate crisis. I think everybody would win. I think it would be good for everybody. Instead of going back and forth and looking at other solutions, if we could somehow impress upon our government to react quickly and simply do it--this is a long-term crisis--I think it would be a good idea.
Conservative
Jacques Gourde Conservative Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC
It's a very good motion. I would only want to add "in conjunction with the producers" in the first part, if Mr. Bellavance agrees.
Conservative
Jacques Gourde Conservative Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC
It says that "the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-food recommend that the government consider the advisability..." It would be easy to add " in conjunction with the producers".
Bloc
André Bellavance Bloc Richmond—Arthabaska, QC
I'm not sure that this is in order. I'm not opposed to the suggestion and that there be discussions in collaboration with the producers. I understand the point.