Agriculture Committee on May 27th, 2008

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

I'm talking about my own experience. I'm not talking about anyone else's experience. I'm talking about Mr. Steckle's experience.

I'm saying this work this morning.... I need assurances before I move forward that this work is important. I'm not necessarily hearing that. I'm getting some vibes from you, Mr. Lauzon, that it's important, but it's hard for me to be convinced that it's important when you've given us all these reasons to believe that basically the work is done outside of this committee.

I think it's a disgrace. You have never heard me really become very partisan in this committee. In 15 years I've not become partisan, and I don't want to start now, because I'm leaving shortly. But it disturbs me greatly that my democratic role as a member of Parliament, my privilege as a member of Parliament to come to this table and to work on behalf of those people, farmers and consumers, has been violated by someone going out for what is said not to be political but is nothing but political, absolutely politics at its worst. I find that repulsive. I'm sorry if I offend anyone by saying that, but I think Canadians need to understand that this work has been going forward and I thought was going forward rather well.

We put aside the report for a week so we could deal with some other matters: estimates, meeting with the minister, meeting with Mr. White and these people. We put this work aside for that. But I have to wonder now whether this work was put aside so this announcement could be made before we came back to look at it. I hope not. I'll leave that for you to tell me.

These are the reasons I have raised this issue this morning. Normally I wouldn't. I would have looked past this and looked beyond, but I couldn't do that this morning in good conscience. So I do that out of the sincerity of what brought me to this place 15 years ago.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

Mr. Lauzon.

[Guy Lauzon, Conservative, Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry, ON]

I want to reassure Mr. Steckle that the recommendations in the report will be considered in the final analysis.

The other thing is, as I listen to your comments, Mr. Steckle, you say the Prime Minister should have said this, he should have said that, he should have had this reference. That really is not what the farmer wants to hear. What the farmer wants to hear is whether we are moving ahead with this issue. We've spent an hour here, and we're not making any progress.

Alex, with all due respect, you say “it appears”. Well, damn it, don't base your decision on whether it appears or not. I might think that you think a certain thing, but maybe that's not what you think. Never mind appearances. What are the facts?

The facts are we're taking action for farmers. You've been promoting that since I met you. Every one of us has been promoting that, and now all of a sudden we take action, and you have to find something wrong.

I realize your job as opposition is to criticize, but come on. You don't like hearing about splitting hairs, but we are splitting hairs. Come on. When he says “He should have said this in the announcement” and “It appears...”--come on--we're splitting hairs. Let's do what's right for the farmers.

You're not going to like to hear this, but the minister says put farmers first. Let's cool things down here, and let's put farmers first right here. Let's use the minister's own words, and let's put the farmers first. If we put the farmers first, we'll go ahead with this announcement and we'll get this done.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

Ms. Skelton.

[Carol Skelton, Conservative, Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar, SK]

I don't know. This is really bothering me, because I feel that since I first came here, about eight years ago, working on committees and everything, governments have sincerely looked at committee reports. In my heart I know that this report is going to be looked at, and I know the work will be taken seriously.

I'm sitting here, and we've talked about this for an hour. I want to know what the committee members from the opposite side of the table want us to do. They've brought their feelings forward to us, but I want to know what they want us to do. Do they want us to not finish our report?

I think we would be losing a lot of valuable time and it would not accomplish anything. We've wasted.... Well, we haven't wasted time, but we've talked about this for an hour. Can we go forward and complete the report?

I know the minister and the Prime Minister will seriously look at what we've brought forward. Everyone has expressed their feelings on the whole situation. Let's move forward and get this finished.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

We have been talking about this for an hour, and I have three more people on the speakers list. I would ask that people be concise with their comments.

Mr. Miller.

[Larry Miller, Conservative, Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON]

Thanks.

I want to speak on this again. I'm amazed, Mr. Chairman, that we're still talking about it.

What probably intrigued me to speak, Paul, was the comment that you made about how it was done, this secrecy thing.

Paul, when you were in government and I was in opposition, you came into my riding in Meaford and made an announcement, and I never knew a dang thing about it and basically had to cross the thing. So don't tell me about that.

Now, good for you. When I went to you, you said “Larry, it will never happen again”, and it didn't.

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

I wasn't aware of it.

[Larry Miller, Conservative, Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON]

I know you aren't.

My point is that this happens, whether it's the bureaucracy or whatever. I wasn't invited down to this announcement either, but I couldn't have gone anyway. My nose isn't out of joint about it; I was so danged pleased to get it.

The bottom line here is that I know every one of you over there knows that this announcement was good. Now, let's cut out the BS and get on with it. If your feelings are hurt, get over it. I could have been upset too because I didn't get an invite, but I'm not. I'm happy about what it was.

André, you even referred to the fact that you don't have much choice but to support this, but I know you believe in it as well. That's the kind of thing we heard from our witnesses at committee. Let's cut it out and get some work done.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

Mr. Easter.

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

Larry, you are missing the point. This is not about being at a photo op or about being invited; this is about the relevance of committees. We all talk about committees in this country not being seen in any way close to the way committees are seen in many other parliaments around the world, and we believe, as MPs, they should be. So this is about the relevance of the committee itself.

But on Carol's point, as far as I'm concerned, Mr. Chair, we've registered our concern. We would ask that you at least make note of this to the Minister of Agriculture and the Prime Minister, that we do feel slighted by the way the press statement reads.

I do think we are obligated to finish the report. I'm not suggesting in any way that we don't finish the report; I think we're obligated to finish the report as quickly as we can. That obligation is to the witnesses who came before us and who put in a good effort at making their presentations and who expected us, I think, to act on them. So I think we have to complete the report with as much haste as we can.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

Mr. Boshcoff.

[Ken Boshcoff, Liberal, Thunder Bay—Rainy River, ON]

Mr. Chair, I refuse to get involved in a debate where the government members keep telling me to be happy and get on with this.

My point, and I'll make it very clear, is that since February we've been interrogating witnesses, hearing from Canadians, and trying to do this job in a very positive way. In a couple of days the report is going to be presented to Parliament. Consequently, to me, this is respecting the parliamentary process and not about dismissing work for whatever reasons.

Ms. Skelton asked what we wanted to do with this. I will propose this resolution. I could have used a lot stronger words and been much nastier about things, but I'm going to do it in this way:

That the Prime Minister recognize and respect the work of the Standing Committee on Agriculture with regard to food labelling in Canada; and ensure that the work of the committee will not be subverted; and the recommendations, based on input from Canadian stakeholders, will be implemented.

[Brian Storseth, Conservative, Westlock—St. Paul, AB]

On a point of order, Mr. Chairman, this is a substantive motion that requires 48 hours' notice.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

We are on topic, though. You don't require notice of motions when we are on the topic.

[Brian Storseth, Conservative, Westlock—St. Paul, AB]

What topic, Mr. Chair?

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

We're talking about “Product of Canada”.

[Brian Storseth, Conservative, Westlock—St. Paul, AB]

This all came out of Mr. Steckle. This isn't something that was on the order paper.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

The order paper is for “Product of Canada” and the motion is about “Product of Canada”.

[Brian Storseth, Conservative, Westlock—St. Paul, AB]

The order paper is about studying the report on “Product of Canada”.

[An hon. member]

At our very first meeting we decided—

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

Whenever you have business before the committee, a motion can be moved at any point in time on that business; and this is concerning the business of committee, so this motion is in order.

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

I'm glad that man sleeps with that book under his pillow.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

Mr. Boshcoff, could we have your motion in writing, please?

[Ken Boshcoff, Liberal, Thunder Bay—Rainy River, ON]

It's coming.