Agriculture Committee on Feb. 24th, 2009

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

I would like to add an amendment that we also pass the first report, as you have already stated, as per Alex's suggestion. I would also add that we add half an hour of question and answer time to the end of the meeting, provided we have the availability of the room.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

That would be if time were available.

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

Then I'm done.

[Randy Hoback, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

On a point of order, why are you going to...[Inaudible--Editor]?

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

If it's all worded into the same thing; it's just one amendment. It's maybe two issues and one amendment.

Is there discussion on the amendment?

Can you read out the amendment?

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

Do you want me to read out the amendment again?

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

I've been asked to have a vote again, but they want to hear the amendment.

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

The amendment is simply that I'm adding that we pass the first report, as suggested by you, Mr. Chair, which will be reflected in the blues. It was as per Mr. Atamanenko's suggestion. Also, I have added on....

You guys are going to have to word it as you want. We're going on the fly here the second time. Everybody has the gist of it, and six voted in favour of it. Then we add half an hour, provided that you can obtain the extra time for the room. If we can't, we can't.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

If the committee would allow, the clerk would take the time to decipher this with the intent that on top of Alex's motion, the report, as presented and discussed, be approved or something to that effect. Is that all right, everyone?

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

And that we add the half hour.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

Okay, first of all, I am going to call the vote on the amendment.

Mr. Easter.

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

On a point of order, Mr. Chair, I understand the amendment asking for more time, but is the motion that we're voting on this first report as basically agreed to today, that the cattle industry would be first, the listeriosis meetings would be out because the other committee is dealing with it, and then we move to program review and some issues may come in between? Is that basically what we're voting on?

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

Yes, that's my understanding.

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

I do feel strongly that we do have to deal with product of Canada issue sometime, and we don't want to lose that opportunity.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

When we get this report done, if you want to add that to it, it's just a matter of dealing with that.

Does everybody understand--

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

It seems to be the same things you said 10 minutes ago. We were about to pass it, and then Alex put this motion forward. So let's get this all done so we are done.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

I call the vote on the amendment.

Order, please. I call the vote on the motion of amendment.

(Amendment agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])

(Motion as amended agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])

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

I did not understand a thing.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

The motion carries.

[Pierre Lemieux, Conservative, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

Mr. Chair, can I be on the speakers list?

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

Okay, we are finished with the report.

Mr. Lemieux.

[Pierre Lemieux, Conservative, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

Chair, I'd like to put forward a motion that when the Canadian Cattlemen's Association comes they have 30 minutes for their presentation, and that when the pork association comes they have 30 minutes for their presentation.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

We have a motion moved by Mr. Lemieux. Is there discussion on the motion?

Mr. Bellavance.

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

I have a question. Have these people prepared reports specific to this file that would require a PowerPoint presentation, meaning that they will not be able to present their point of view to us in 10 minutes? These people have testified regularly before us and I feel they are certainly capable of making a presentation in the 10 minutes usually allotted.

Otherwise, we are going to play this game, and I will also demand that 30 minutes be allotted to the witnesses I wish to present. And then the sessions may end up being extended unnecessarily.

[Pierre Lemieux, Conservative, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

Chair, I thank Mr. Bellavance for his comments. Those were my comments about five minutes ago, that we're creating exceptions, and I can assure Mr. Bellavance that if the Canadian Cattlemen's Association comes as a witness and if the pork association comes as a witness, you bet they will be prepared. They will have professional presentations.

My point was that if we're going to treat one witness differently, the committee will have to defend itself to the Cattlemen's Association and to the pork association to say they are not worth 30 minutes; we gave 30 minutes to somebody else, but not you, our friends.

To avoid that kind of complexity and to avoid being in such an embarrassing situation, we should adopt this motion that the Cattlemen's Association and the pork association have 30 minutes as well. As I said, I can assure my colleague that they will have professional presentations, and I'm sure they will use the time allotted to them to brief us thoroughly on their point of view, much as we have just allocated to the NFU.