Evidence of meeting #35 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 tractors.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5:30 p.m.
NDP
Alex Atamanenko NDP British Columbia Southern Interior, BC
What I'm suggesting is that we take the seven o'clock to nine o'clock meeting on March 20 and plug it into the February 22 meeting if we don't need to do the dairy people.
5:30 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
Okay, but André still wants to do the dairy people. What we might do then—
5:30 p.m.
NDP
Alex Atamanenko NDP British Columbia Southern Interior, BC
I think he was....
I thought you agreed with me that we could hear them on the twentieth.
5:30 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
Okay, let's do that, then. So we'll just leave dairy ingredients for now, and we'll have Mr. Verheul appear first with probably Agriculture Canada and Finance Canada to talk about the WTO and article 28, and what we're trying to do with the dairy components.
Is that good enough, or would you want to have an extension to include the processors, consumers, and so on, on February 20?
5:35 p.m.
Liberal
Paul Steckle Liberal Huron—Bruce, ON
I think basically all we really need on article 28 or chapter 28 is some clarification. There's some misunderstanding of what actually is entailed in that. Once we have an understanding of that, I don't think it really matters whether all of the industry people are here. Time moves on, so let's try to use our time in the most efficient way.
5:35 p.m.
Bloc
André Bellavance Bloc Richmond—Arthabaska, QC
That's exactly what I was proposing. In fact, I thought we were hearing from Steve Verheul on the twentieth. So we could hear him for an hour, then the next hour could be devoted to officials in order to talk about finances and agriculture. There are also officials from the Department of International Trade. I think all these areas are a concern. We could hold a briefing on the subject; that could be the twentieth.
5:35 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
You don't want to have them all together? You want to keep them separate--an hour and an hour?
5:35 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
Okay, we'll do an hour and an hour. We'll do that on the 20th, and on the 22nd we will look at the impact of the farm income crisis on women in agriculture.
On the 27th, we'll do the Canadian Wheat Board, and call in some new witnesses, and then consider the draft report after that.
Is that okay with everybody?
5:35 p.m.
Conservative
David Anderson Conservative Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK
It's a waste of time. The steering committee decided that.
5:35 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
Well, we're flexible here.
Okay, so that's happening on the 27th, and then we'll dive into the biofuel study. If you're happy with that, we won't make this a formal report, right? We don't want to tie our hands; we want to have some flexibility. I believe those are the wishes of the committee.
Alex.
5:35 p.m.
NDP
Alex Atamanenko NDP British Columbia Southern Interior, BC
I have a real important question. I like the format when you have the little boxes on here. It makes it easier for me to understand.
5:35 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
A timetable, yes.
With that done, I don't believe we have any other business. Any other comments?
Madam Clerk.
5:35 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
Yes, this is an issue.
Karen Dodds is appearing before us on the grow and the own-use import program on Tuesday. She has requested to bring along Craig Hunter of the Canadian Horticulture Council and Gord Bacon from Pulse Canada.
I'm just wondering if that's appropriate. If they're coming, do we need to have the CFA or FMA here then?
5:35 p.m.
Conservative
David Anderson Conservative Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK
If she's requested them, there may be some particular reason. I haven't talked to them about it.
5:35 p.m.
Conservative
5:35 p.m.
An hon. member
It's up to the chair.
5:35 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
It's up to the chair. I'll take that direction then.
Mr. Anderson.
5:35 p.m.
Conservative
David Anderson Conservative Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK
I would also like that expanded to cover the additional item we covered last time when she was here, which was the strychnine.