Agriculture Committee on Dec. 12th, 2007

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

You have now. It's there.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

We're discussing the amendment to the motion.

André, you had your hand up.

[André Bellavance, Bloc, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Are you asking me if I have anything to say on the amendment?

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

Do you have discussion on the amendment?

[André Bellavance, Bloc, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

No, I have nothing to say on the amendment.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

Go ahead, Mr. Atamanenko.

[Alex Atamanenko, NDP, British Columbia Southern Interior, BC]

I'd like to hear what the amendment is, but, Carol, I would just like to know, this is basically because it's a slap in the face to farmers? That's what you're saying.

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

Most definitely.

[Alex Atamanenko, NDP, British Columbia Southern Interior, BC]

It's not so much whether it's 2,000 or 1,000 litres; it's just because it's a slap to beef farmers.

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

I'm very concerned that this kind of calender could be going into.... We have credit unions right across Canada. If this kind of information is going into cities, it's false representation. We need to support our agricultural industry. We should not be putting this kind of information out to communities.

[Alex Atamanenko, NDP, British Columbia Southern Interior, BC]

Okay. Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

We may have a concern that this amendment may not be in order because it changes the intent. Originally we were talking about the condemnation of the message, and we're no longer talking about that.

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

I suggest, Mr. Chair, that we just agree to copy the motion to the Credit Union Central of Canada and have the chair write a letter expressing the committee's concern.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

That's what I had, actually, as my suggested amendment.

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

Thank you very much, gentlemen.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

I've fiddled with this a bit myself. I'm not making this as an amendment, but if Wayne wants to make....

It reads “That the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food condemn the message in the calendar produced by the Kerrobert Credit Union”--

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

You don't even need Kerrobert. Well, it was the Kerrobert Credit Union.

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

It has to go to the Credit Union Central of Canada.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

I'm getting there, please. I'll continue:

and Credit Union Central of Canada for producing this template for their calendars, and that the chair of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food send a letter to Credit Union Central expressing this concern.

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

Don't interrupt the chair when he's had a long night.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

We are public.

Go ahead, Monsieur Roy.

[Jean-Yves Roy, Bloc, Haute-Gaspésie—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC]

I just have one question.

You are talking about Kerrobert Credit Union Limited, but are you sure that it was all credit unions that used the calendar? Would it not rather be some credit unions?

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

They sent templates out to a lot of credit unions, and--

[Jean-Yves Roy, Bloc, Haute-Gaspésie—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC]

OK.

So it is not all credit unions. The motion is not correct, then.

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

But Credit Union Central sends them out to credit unions--