Agriculture Committee on May 30th, 2006

[The Chair, Conservative, Gerry Ritz]

Thank you, Madame.

Mr. Anderson, you have three minutes.

[David Anderson, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I guess there's a lot of excitement and interest in biofuels across this country, but no more so than out on the Prairies. I know it's a multi-department initiative that's taking place. But I'd just like to know, in your opinion, how long it is going to take us to get up and running. We don't have a lot of time because of developments across the border. They are moving quickly to put plants in right across the border. How long is it going to take us to put in place the programs and projects that we need?

[Suzanne Vinet]

The minister is holding consultations. We're certainly accelerating the work in developing the strategy in support of the biofuel objective. The ministers of environment, natural resources, and agriculture had some consultations in Regina last week, and there'll be further consultations with stakeholders in the sector that have an interest in developing projects. We're working very closely with the industry, with the sector, with the view to having a strategy and initiatives to put in place as quickly as possible.

[David Anderson, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

We probably need this going in at least the next 18 months. Is that going to be possible?

[Suzanne Vinet]

We're working with the view to having a strategy in place by the fall, if everything goes well, but we're working very closely with the industry in developing the approach.

[David Anderson, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

There are some projects that are at a far more developed stage than others are, particularly those coming off the last ethanol expansion program. I'm just wondering whether they are going to be treated differently. Do you know if they'll be given the opportunity to move ahead while the other projects are developing, or are you going to expect that everyone will start at the same point?

[Suzanne Vinet]

The ethanol projects currently being undertaken under the ethanol expansion program are going ahead independently.

[David Anderson, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

I understand that, but there are other projects that were not part of that, and they are still in the mix and ready to operate.

[Suzanne Vinet]

There have been no decisions made on that yet.

[David Anderson, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

I have another question, then. The commitment has been 5% by 2010. Is there going to be any breakdown there between biodiesel and ethanol, or is it 5% of both of them, or 5% of total volume? Will there be a specific breakdown to a certain percentage of biodiesel and a certain percentage of ethanol?

[Suzanne Vinet]

That's what we're looking at with the industry. Right now, through the consultations, we're exploring and defining the breadth and the specificity.

[David Anderson, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

Well, I hope there's an urgency here, because everybody understands that. We would expect there would be as well.

That's pretty much the end.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gerry Ritz]

Is there anyone else for a short redirect? At this point we probably won't get back to you. That's it?

All right, Mr. Atamanenko, go ahead for three minutes, please.

[Alex Atamanenko, NDP, British Columbia Southern Interior, BC]

First of all, are the people from Porcupine, Saskatchewan, going to get part of the $50 million that the minister mentioned for disaster relief in Manitoba? That's the first question.

And I have a follow-up question on the Wheat Board. Can anybody answer that?

[Terry Hearn]

On the Wheat Board?

[Alex Atamanenko, NDP, British Columbia Southern Interior, BC]

Yes.

[Terry Hearn]

Yes, we can.

[Alex Atamanenko, NDP, British Columbia Southern Interior, BC]

I'll just ask a very quick question. We're talking about dual marketing. Is there a difference between a dual and an open market? Have there been any studies or any reports done that show that in effect a dual or an open market system has been truly beneficial to farmers in other parts of the world? You know, we should learn from other people's experience. That's a concern I have.

Those are my two questions.

[Suzanne Vinet]

On the disaster issue, it should be Dan.

[Danny Foster]

With respect to the disaster, it's the cover crop program. For 2005-06 it's $15 an acre for unseeded acreage.

The minister referred to Saskatchewan and Manitoba as being the primary beneficiaries, but the program is national. So if there is unseeded acreage in other provinces, it would be very small. But it is a national program that will benefit any producer who is unable to seed in either 2005 or 2006 due to excess moisture. There is no requirement to be participating in the production insurance programs to access that assistance.

[Alex Atamanenko, NDP, British Columbia Southern Interior, BC]

Okay, thank you.

[Suzanne Vinet]

Regarding the question about the Wheat Board, over the years there have been a number of studies done. I'm not aware of any recent studies that specifically look at a proposal of dual market or open market, but there have been a number of studies. The Wheat Board itself has also conducted a number of studies. I think the best thing to do would be to give you a bibliography or even some copies of some of the studies that have been done, but they are quite numerous, so it would assist us if you could narrow the question down.

I'm not aware of any recent work done on this. Most of the work has been done by independent researchers in universities across both Canada and the United States.

[Alex Atamanenko, NDP, British Columbia Southern Interior, BC]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Gerry Ritz]

Mr. Atamanenko, you're all done?

[Alex Atamanenko, NDP, British Columbia Southern Interior, BC]

I have just one last question on the disaster. Initially funding was going to go to the farmers in Porcupine through the Government of Saskatchewan. What are the mechanics of getting that funding?

The reason I'm asking about farmers in Porcupine is that they're the ones who came and talked to all of us. How does a person there go about getting some help?