Evidence of meeting #34 for Agriculture and Agri-Food in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was cars.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5:20 p.m.
Conservative
5:20 p.m.
Conservative
Pierre Lemieux Conservative Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON
Yes, I will read it, Chair.
I would put forward that Mr. Atamanenko's motion be amended by deleting all the words after “indicate” and replacing them with:
to the World Trade Organization that Canada will continue our strong support for supply-managed sectors and that any decisions regarding the future of Canada's state trading enterprises will be made domestically and that Canada will continue to push for new opportunities for Canadian agricultural exporters by advocating the elimination of export subsidies and removal of trade barriers.
Chair, just to recap, the fully amended motion would read:
That the Committee recommend the government immediately instruct Canada's negotiator to indicate to the World Trade Organization that Canada will continue our strong support for supply-managed sectors and that any decisions regarding the future of Canada's state trading enterprises will be made domestically and that Canada will continue to push for new opportunities for Canadian agricultural exports by advocating the elimination of export subsidies and their removal of trade barriers.
I thank you, Chair, for your attention and my fellow members for their attention. I believe this amendment actually better reflects the support we all have on the agricultural committee for all of our producers. Yes, we all support supply management, absolutely. As I said in my riding, supply management is very strong. But my amendment actually moves forward and also expresses support for our other producers.
Thank you, Chair.
5:20 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Larry Miller
Okay. You've heard the amendment.
Mr. Easter, you're next on the list.
5:20 p.m.
Liberal
Wayne Easter Liberal Malpeque, PE
Just quickly, I'll not go into great detail, Mr. Chair, but.... No, it's not going to be a speech. We heard a speech. We don't have a whole lot of time.
I would just say that we differ strenuously with the parliamentary secretary's remarks as he attempts to cover Minister Ritz's record of failure when it comes to supporting farmers in Canada. The parliamentary secretary talked extensively about COOL, country-of-origin labelling, and while we do agree with the challenge at the WTO, we very much regret that the government has failed to do anything for beef producers and hog producers in the meantime, other than provide a loan and drive them further into debt when they're already very far into debt as it is.
So basically, while the Government of Canada dilly-dallies around, we'll wait for however long it takes for the WTO to make a decision in country-of-origin labelling, in the meantime bleeding producers away from the industry while the Americans will continue to drive production into Canada. We're seeing a decline in the hog industry and the beef industry in terms of cow-calf operators and slaughter-cattle operators. Our market into the United States is down somewhere around 50%, 60%, I believe, in pork. It's down in slaughter cattle and it's down in calves and feeders. Yet the Americans continue to export the product here.
The second point of the hog program, which is getting people out of the industry, is actually quite terrible because it sets up an auction system, a tender system, whereby hog producers bid against each other for who will sell out the lowest. That's not exactly a way of providing income to producers or getting out of the industry with dignity. Whichever producer has the lowest bid will be the one that gets a little slice of the $75 million from the Government of Canada.
The last point I'll make is on the beef and hog loans, especially the hog loans that the government announced. I maintain it's probably one of the best Ponzi schemes ever dreamed up. Who gets paid out of these loans? The first condition to get a loan.... You go to the bank and you get a government guarantee. This is no joking matter, guys. Producers are calling every day going broke. It's no joking matter. We're hearing them in droves. And there's a lot of criticism of the Canadian Pork Council as a result as well.
But what happens? You go and get a guaranteed loan at the bank, and then--
5:25 p.m.
Conservative
Brian Storseth Conservative Westlock—St. Paul, AB
On a point of order, Mr. Chair, it's one thing for him to be partisan, and it's okay that he's wrong, but then to attack the Canadian Pork Council, because they represent these same producers and they just happen to have a different opinion from Mr. Easter's, is not acceptable.
5:25 p.m.
Conservative
5:25 p.m.
Liberal
Wayne Easter Liberal Malpeque, PE
Let me be very clear. I think the leadership in this country...some of the farm organizations, because of the intimidation tactics of the Government of Canada, fear that they might not get in the door.... It's a serious problem in this country. But anyway, on to the Ponzi scheme, Mr. Chair.
When you get a guaranteed loan from the Government of Canada, what's the first condition? You must pay off the Government of Canada's APP loan. In other words, the Government of Canada has set up a system in which Treasury Board and the Department of Finance get paid and farmers are left with increased debt to the banks of this country, albeit guaranteed by the Government of Canada. Now, if that's not a Ponzi scheme, I've never seen one before.
This is the last point I'll make, Mr. Chair. It relates to what the parliamentary secretary claims to be support for supply management. The proof was in the pudding last summer. The Government of Canada could have objected to the text at WTO that would have dismantled supply management--undermined it and undermined the Canadian Wheat Board. But did the government object? No, they did not. So I would submit to the parliamentary secretary that the words he states are fine, but the actions by the Government of Canada go to my original point that when it comes to this government and this minister, as it relates to primary producers and support for that industry, it's a record of absolute failure.
5:30 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Larry Miller
Gentlemen, I have four other speakers on the list. I'm going to suggest, because of the time.... I know that I have a plane to catch and I think Mr. Eyking does and a few others.
5:30 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Larry Miller
Well, then you're going to be taking the chair in a few minutes.
But anyway, I would suggest that we call the vote and have no more speakers. Is everyone in agreement?
5:30 p.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.
5:30 p.m.
Conservative
5:30 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Larry Miller
A recorded vote. I'll ask the clerk
(Amendment negatived: nays 6; yeas 5)
(Motion agreed to: yeas 6; abstentions 5)
5:30 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Larry Miller
Seeing as we have the time, André, I'm going to allow you to make your request.
5:30 p.m.
Bloc
André Bellavance Bloc Richmond—Arthabaska, QC
I want to be able to discuss my motion. It should not take us half an hour. I would like to invite Mr. De Schutter to appear by teleconference next Tuesday, October 27. I would like to give the clerk time to contact his office and make the request. So we need to discuss it straight away.
5:30 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Larry Miller
I think everybody knows the intent. Do we have unanimous consent to deal with André's motion?
5:30 p.m.
Some hon. members
Yes.
5:30 p.m.
An hon. member
[Inaudible--Editor]...witness.
5:30 p.m.
Bloc
5:30 p.m.
Conservative
Pierre Lemieux Conservative Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON
I spoke to André about this before, about working as a team.
5:30 p.m.
An hon. member
Are you trying to cut side deals?
5:30 p.m.
Conservative
