Evidence of meeting #10 for Agriculture and Agri-Food in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was product.
A recording is available from Parliament.
10:40 a.m.
Conservative
10:40 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
Thank you, Dr. Dodds, Dr. Aucoin, and Dr. Delorme, for coming in and sharing with us today and giving us an update on where things are going with the PMRA.
Since I have been on this committee and PMRA has been coming forward, I definitely see a huge commitment from PMRA to help farmers have access to products. The timelines have shortened up on approvals. Having more products available in the marketplace is definitely something that is beneficial to the overall industry, and farmers appreciate that. So even though I know that you are under the Health Canada directorate, we do appreciate your commitment to Canadian agriculture producers and the tasks you have before you.
We look forward to hearing from you again, hopefully, in another six to eight months to see how things are moving along.
Mr. Easter wanted to raise one point.
10:45 a.m.
Liberal
Wayne Easter Liberal Malpeque, PE
It is not for the PMRA.
I sent you a letter, Mr. Chair, on the need to hold a quick meeting with the Canadian Cattlemen's Association and the Canadian Pork Council on their response to government action on the beef and hog crisis.
In my view, the government virtually did nothing. But in any event, I do think we need to see where it is at. I imagine that you guys are getting the same calls we are. We are losing the hog industry in this country. Beef producers are in trouble. In my own province, we have now lost 40% of the hog producers. It is just unbelievable.
Is what the government has proposed adequate? Is it not? What other things can we be doing? So you have that letter. I understand that you are meeting as a subcommittee, but I believe that we need to have that meeting quickly. If there needs to be more pressure put on the government to do something else, then it needs to happen.
10:45 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
The subcommittee is going to be meeting immediately following this. If we can get going for 11 o'clock, we will. So I ask that the members of the subcommittee wait around, and we will clear out the room as quickly as possible.
We'll have Mr. Atamanenko.
10:45 a.m.
NDP
Alex Atamanenko NDP British Columbia Southern Interior, BC
I am thinking, as we are discussing the agenda, that it would probably be a good idea to evaluate what's been happening. We met with those folks before Christmas. We have had some movement and some response. What is going on? Maybe that could be the first item on our agenda when we meet for our next meeting, and we could discuss that at the steering committee meeting.
10:45 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
We will deal with this at our subcommittee meeting, which will take place right away.
With that, we will adjourn. I'll ask everybody to clear out so we can get to our subcommittee meeting.
Thank you very much.
