Agriculture Committee on Aug. 19th, 2008

[Dean Del Mastro, Conservative, Peterborough, ON]

We have Mr. Easter continuing to try to fear-monger and somehow to promote a climate change plan that has absolutely no climate change goals whatsoever. He mentioned earlier a $65-a-tonne secret tax. Well, of course our government does not propose a tax on carbon; $65 a tonne is an estimate of the market price on carbon. That's a lot different from a tax, which his leader is proposing.

And certainly the public comments made by Mr. Easter before agricultural producers in various fora have led me to believe that he's certainly not supportive of his leader's plan. In fact, he's trying to run away from it; hence, the smokescreen before committee today.

I have really struggled to understand how a $62 million investment into the CFIA and the hiring of an additional 200 inspectors could be anything but a step forward, a step to further protect Canadians. And we're here for no other reason than that Mr. Easter is desperate to try to change the channel, because he hasn't had a very good reception this year from agricultural producers across Canada.

I have nothing further to say.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

Thank you, Mr. Del Mastro.

Mr. St. Amand.

[Lloyd St. Amand, Liberal, Brant, ON]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

I sit on the natural resources committee, so for me, Mr. Chair, this is déjà vu. This is the Linda Keen story, chapter two, or the sequel to the Linda Keen story, except it's Luc Pomerleau.

On that point, Ms. Demers and Mr. Roberts, do you know Luc Pomerleau?

[Michèle Demers]

Absolutely.

[Lloyd St. Amand, Liberal, Brant, ON]

I understand that Mr. Pomerleau is a scientist with some 20 years of experience?

[Michèle Demers]

Yes.

[Lloyd St. Amand, Liberal, Brant, ON]

I understand that he's extremely well regarded as a scientist.

[Michèle Demers]

He is.

[Lloyd St. Amand, Liberal, Brant, ON]

And for how long has he worked with you?

[Michèle Demers]

He's been involved with the union for maybe five or six years now.

[Lloyd St. Amand, Liberal, Brant, ON]

Mr. Roberts, do you also know Mr. Pomerleau?

[Chris Roberts]

I met him recently.

[Lloyd St. Amand, Liberal, Brant, ON]

Recently.

Can you very briefly, Ms. Demers, further describe Mr. Pomerleau for us, in terms of his professional qualifications, his approach toward his job, and his overall work ethic?

[Michèle Demers]

Well, Mr. Pomerleau has no record of wrongdoing in the agency or in the departments he worked for prior to being with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. He has a bachelor of science and a master's degree in public administration.

He is a very dedicated worker. He's a simple man, a family man. He has two adolescent children and he is the sole breadwinner of his family. And he is now devastated and completely demolished.

[Lloyd St. Amand, Liberal, Brant, ON]

He doesn't sound like an alarmist person or somebody given to overreacting.

[Michèle Demers]

Well, I don't know if any of you saw some of the interviews that Mr. Pomerleau gave, but it's—

[Lloyd St. Amand, Liberal, Brant, ON]

Mr. Roberts, if I may, you've indicated that within this November 2007 report, there were clearly identified cuts to certain program areas. Is that the case?

[Chris Roberts]

They do involve cuts.

[Lloyd St. Amand, Liberal, Brant, ON]

Okay. What program areas in particular will be cut? BSE, avian influenza?

[Chris Roberts]

On that, I simply rely on the published accounts. I didn't give it close enough scrutiny and my memory isn't good enough to rely on the document.

[Lloyd St. Amand, Liberal, Brant, ON]

But certainly your—

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

You have a point of order, Mr. Storseth?

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

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

I think it should be said for the record that Mr. Evans very clearly answered that question yesterday and very clearly rejected the premise that Mr. St. Amand is putting forward.

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, St. Paul's, ON]

I don't think that's a point of order. That's debate.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

That's debate.

I'll make the call on that.