Evidence of meeting #14 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 biofuels.
A recording is available from Parliament.
10:50 a.m.
Conservative
Guy Lauzon Conservative Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry, ON
If we need extra time, that's a motion I would like to put on the floor, Mr. Chair.
10:50 a.m.
Conservative
10:50 a.m.
Conservative
10:50 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
No, there are still eight minutes left and I have a couple of clarifications.
I'll go to Gordon first.
10:50 a.m.
President, Canadian Renewable Fuels Association
Mr. Lauzon, when you were talking about what this means for farmers and you said we were providing another outlet for Canadian grains and oilseeds, I would take it a step further and say, as you've heard from my colleagues, the issue isn't about just simply providing the feedstock. The issue very much—and it's fundamental to our association—is that in fact farmers should be given the opportunity to be investors as well. By having that investment opportunity, it actually goes directly to Mr. Miller's point with respect to that hedge against the ebb and flow of commodity pricing that has taken place. In periods in which commodity prices cyclically will come back down, your hedge is the fact that as a farmer you have actually also invested in that biofuels facility and therefore you have that diversification within the farm gate.
The challenge we have right now, particularly in western Canada, is that it is only now that farmers are finally getting that revenue stream within the farm gate to the level at which they can actually contemplate this kind of investment.
Our urgency, of course, is that we need to start building now. So we're actually challenging farmers by saying that we know they are finally coming out of their struggle by getting the kind of revenue they deserve at the farm gate, and now we're quickly asking them to invest in our industry because of the tight timeframe I talked about earlier.
10:50 a.m.
Conservative
Guy Lauzon Conservative Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry, ON
This could be one of the best things that ever happened to rural Canada in years and years. This committee should do everything we can to cooperate with the industry, with the farmers, and in fact put farmers first and get this legislation passed.
10:50 a.m.
Researcher, National Farmers Union
Yes, I just want to clarify. Mr. Friesen said the NFU and the Canadian Federation of Agriculture agreed that if we have Cargill and somebody else competing for our product.... We in the National Farmers Union don't see it as particularly positive that an American transnational comes up and sets up operations in this country. What we would like to see is fair prices for farmers, for their products.
10:50 a.m.
Conservative
Brian Storseth Conservative Westlock—St. Paul, AB
On a point of order, Mr. Chair, I have to say that--
10:50 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
There is a point of order. I have to recognize the point of order.
10:50 a.m.
Conservative
Brian Storseth Conservative Westlock—St. Paul, AB
This committee is not a debate between the NFU, the NDP, and the rest of the world. Perhaps we could move on with the questions and answers. We've given the NFU additional time.
10:55 a.m.
Researcher, National Farmers Union
Overall in my presentation I really didn't get to say what my summary was.
10:55 a.m.
Conservative
Guy Lauzon Conservative Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry, ON
On a point of order, I thought everybody had 10 minutes here. This gentleman representing the NFU seems to have had double what the other people have had. I'm sure the other people had lots to--
10:55 a.m.
Researcher, National Farmers Union
I guess I'm probably the only one who isn't on a per diem here today, so--
10:55 a.m.
Conservative
Guy Lauzon Conservative Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry, ON
Just a moment. They were respectful of this committee and the committee's time.
Mr. Chair, he's had his 10 minutes, and I think we should--
10:55 a.m.
Researcher, National Farmers Union
I want to make one final comment, if I may.
10:55 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
Your time has expired. We do have another committee meeting after us, and I have a couple of points of committee business to deal with.
Mr. Sigurdson, we do have your presentation. We will translate it and circulate it to all the members, including your recommendation at the end. We'll definitely get that out to the entire committee.
I did give you extra time. I gave you 11 minutes compared to everybody else, who had around eight to nine minutes. Everybody else respected their opening time for comments.
10:55 a.m.
Researcher, National Farmers Union
Excuse me, I certainly was interrupted a lot more than other people, and I was distracted from what I was--
10:55 a.m.
Conservative
10:55 a.m.
Researcher, National Farmers Union
No, but that was about the only time.
10:55 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
First of all, Mr. Easter asked a question about the regulations and whether or not they apply to controlling imports.
For the committee's information, both clauses 1 and 2, as they pertain to sections 139 and 140, do provide to the Governor in Council the power to control imports as well as a number of other issues as they relate to biofuels.
10:55 a.m.
Liberal
Wayne Easter Liberal Malpeque, PE
Just one second, James.
It does provide the authority, but has it been established that this subsidy cannot go there? That decision has yet to be made by the Governor in Council. Is that right?