Evidence of meeting #36 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 security.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:10 p.m.
Executive Director, Canadian Association of Agri-Retailers
I'm not sure what angle you're coming at related to granular fertilizers, but my facility--
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
Bev Shipley Conservative Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON
I made the point on it. This is mainly now about anhydrous.
4:10 p.m.
Executive Director, Canadian Association of Agri-Retailers
Okay. I would not agree with that. This is not about anhydrous; this is about all products, including chemical pesticides and fungicides. This is all crop inputs.
See, that has been the problem. We've been discussing this from the assumption that it's anhydrous, and that's not the case.
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
Bev Shipley Conservative Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON
I can't take you to a dealer in my area who does not have secure pesticides.
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
Bev Shipley Conservative Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON
Aren't all those regulations federal or provincial, or a combination?
4:10 p.m.
Executive Director, Canadian Association of Agri-Retailers
That's the Agrichemical Warehousing Standards Association, which is industry, out ahead of government. But there are federal regulations, and provincial ones as well.
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
Bev Shipley Conservative Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON
That's a bit clearer.
In terms of the 1,200 dealers you talked about who this is having an impact on, is that today?
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
Bev Shipley Conservative Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON
Okay, 1,200 sites.
What was the figure five years ago?
4:10 p.m.
Executive Director, Canadian Association of Agri-Retailers
It was probably a little higher, probably in the 1,500 range.
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
Bev Shipley Conservative Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON
I'm just trying to understand it. In terms of the expense, the eligibility part that you have in your document, you've listed nine. Are these ones that would be harmonized in terms of what other jurisdictions would be compensated for?
4:10 p.m.
Executive Director, Canadian Association of Agri-Retailers
When you refer to the nine, are we talking about the ones that are in my statement?
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
4:10 p.m.
Chairman, Canadian Association of Agri-Retailers
It's a list of what expenses should be eligible.
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
Bev Shipley Conservative Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON
There are nine of them in my document, right ahead of the chart that you held up with the expense of $70 million, of which $30 million has already been expended.
4:10 p.m.
Executive Director, Canadian Association of Agri-Retailers
Right. So you're specifically referring to security requirements and standards.
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
Bev Shipley Conservative Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON
I'm talking about what expenses should be eligible for the program.
4:10 p.m.
Executive Director, Canadian Association of Agri-Retailers
We drew those right from the American document of eligible expenses, because they're very comprehensive, they're already enacted in obviously a large jurisdiction, and they're working. They make common sense. That's the bottom line. So we drew that, with consultation from the security sector, right from the eligible expenses in the American Farm Bill.
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
Bev Shipley Conservative Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON
So these are ones that you have laid out, but they're ones that you're saying you've not been able to discuss or negotiate.
4:10 p.m.
Executive Director, Canadian Association of Agri-Retailers
We never got to that point about what's appropriate security. It seems we've never been able to actually arrive there, because the hurdle has been even finding out who owns this issue.
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Larry Miller
Your time is up. If there was a direct point to finish, I'd let you, but—
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
Bev Shipley Conservative Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON
I have another question, but we'll get to it later.
4:10 p.m.
Executive Director, Canadian Association of Agri-Retailers
The point I just want to make is that this includes all crop inputs, not just anhydrous ammonia.
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Larry Miller
Thank you, Mr. MacKay.
Just before we start our next round, Ms. MacTavish, you were talking about genetics and the selling around the world. I know a lot of livestock goes right through. I used to sell dairy heifers, basically all around the world at one time, but there was a difference there. With supply management here in Canada, it wasn't bad.
I don't mean to criticize the selling of genetics for sheep, but just one thing I want to point out is that it's almost a double-edged sword. You're trying to increase your market share because there's a shortage of lamb in the world, but we're selling genetics to other countries.
Again, I'm just pointing it out, that it's almost defeating that purpose. I don't know whether you have any comments for us on that.