Agriculture Committee on May 17th, 2007

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

I don't know how long the parliamentary secretary is going to go on in this vein, Mr. Chairman, but it is interesting that the government is holding up the work of the committee itself. I assume by adjourning the meeting now that the motions will be the first item at the next meeting.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

It shall be the first order on the agenda.

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

I would like the parliamentary secretary to keep in mind that we would like to get our agriculture policy framework recommendations to the government--it's to their advantage--before Parliament closes. We have to finish the Canadian Wheat Board report and we have some other business to do. So if the government continues to obstruct the work of committee, it could get serious, because we can sit here while the parliamentary secretary reads papers, but we would really, on this side, like to get some work done.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

Mr. Anderson.

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

One comment on that, I guess, and that is anytime I can present the government's agenda on agriculture, I'm glad to do that. I think it's an exciting agenda.

I also want to note once again that we have not obstructed the work of this committee. Mr. Bellavance was the only member of the opposition who would agree with me that we should hear witnesses prior to dealing with the motions today. So I want to leave it at that.

[Paul Steckle, Liberal, Huron—Bruce, ON]

Point of order. That is not a correct statement. There was cooperation on this side of the House today, on this side of the table.

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

I talked to all three critics yesterday and today, and the only one who would agree to work with me was Mr. Bellavance, in order to hear the witnesses today.

[Paul Steckle, Liberal, Huron—Bruce, ON]

Mr. Easter and I and others as well have agreed to do this today.

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

You did?

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

Gentlemen, if I may get--

[Paul Steckle, Liberal, Huron—Bruce, ON]

But if I might continue on that note, I think we've heard a lot today. It's more than we can digest in one day. I think the parliamentary secretary ought to get some figures together for the next meeting telling us clearly how he's going to spend that $246 million and how that's going to be appropriated, because we've heard a lot of numbers and a lot of programs floated this afternoon and how that's going to equate to many dollars reaching the pockets of ordinary farmers. So on that note, I would just admonish him to get those numbers together for the next meeting. I look forward to those numbers.

At this point I'm going to move a motion of adjournment.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

A motion to adjourn is on the table. It's non-debatable.

(Motion agreed to)

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

The meeting is adjourned.