Agriculture Committee on Sept. 29th, 2011

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

I think on the discretion, whether it's me, the committee, or whatever comes into this, it isn't one of those “has to be done today” things.

For example, maybe on the biotech part of the Growing Forward 2, as we're doing it, somebody says they think we need a little more here. So then we'd go ahead and do it. I'm just using that as one example.

I doubt there's going to be any urgent need to all of a sudden have those extra ones on Tuesday. I think it'll be within the general realm of a study that we're doing at the time. We might all agree that we needed more witnesses on something, and we'd do that.

I think, Frank, I'd use that old saying: trust us. I'm not going to have the power to amend the motion. I'm happy not to have to make that decision on my own.

I think with the direction of everybody here, let's get started and get to work and deal with these as they come.

Mr. Lemieux.

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

Chair, I think there's been a lot of discussion on this, and it's using up a lot of committee time. I think Malcolm made another good suggestion, that maybe this should go back to the steering committee. Let the steering committee flesh this out and report back to the committee. The committee has to vote on it in the end anyway, but there's been a lot of discussion on it.

I'm sorry, Frank. That was your suggestion.

Why don't we do that and bring it back to committee?

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

I'm glad I don't have a vote on it, because I'd have to vote against that.

Guys and girls, this is a motion about frugality. I don't know what the big thing is or why we'd want to send it back there, but I'm at your mercy.

[Randy Hoback, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

We'd go back to the steering committee for sure.

[Frank Valeriote, Liberal, Guelph, ON]

So it's the chair in consultation with the steering committee.

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

The chair is on the steering committee. He'll be there.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

We have to have a motion to adjourn debate, I guess, if that's where you're going.

[Frank Valeriote, Liberal, Guelph, ON]

No, we need to move an amendment to that motion I think.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

The motion has already been amended a couple of times.

[Randy Hoback, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

Chair, I move that this whole motion be deferred to the steering committee for consideration and then brought back to the committee.

[Malcolm Allen, NDP, Welland, ON]

I would concur with Mr. Hoback.

In the spirit of what Mr. Storseth and the chair have said, I think there's a way to actually make this work. I think we're all in agreement about keeping the costs down. I don't think there's any argument from us and we're all there. Mr. Zimmer pointed out just a minute ago that this is an issue of keeping the costs down. I would say it's also about keeping the chairs available for some of us to sit in.

Ultimately, I think we can find something to bring back that we will find unanimity on. Perhaps we don't have it right at this very second, because we've had additions here and take-aways there. I think we can bring something back to which we could all say “yes”.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

All in favour of the motion?

(Motion agreed to--[See Minutes of Proceedings])

It goes back to the steering committee.

Now we need direction on witnesses for Tuesday.

[Frank Valeriote, Liberal, Guelph, ON]

I have three recommendations, if you're looking for names.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

I am. I'm wanting some direction from the committee.

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

Themes first.

[Frank Valeriote, Liberal, Guelph, ON]

Theme: biotechnology.

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

Then you can just submit your names to the chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

Ben.

[Ben Lobb, Conservative, Huron—Bruce, ON]

In my own opinion, before we get too far into themes and all the other things we're talking about, I wouldn't mind hearing what the department has done so far in soliciting input and opinions in order to give us a better idea of where they've gone and what they've done.

We've all read news articles. We've all been following what they've been doing around this. I think at the very least we have to hear what they have to say on what's really been done. They're likely easy witnesses to have appear.

I think this committee then would have a bit of a foundation to move forward. We would have a better idea of where we want to go in terms of next direction.

[An hon. member]

That's a good point.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

Are there any further comments?

Malcolm.

[Malcolm Allen, NDP, Welland, ON]

I think Mr. Lobb has actually hit on a very cogent point. There is information available on Growing Forward 2 from the department, and the department is right here. We're not asking the minister to come. Obviously we're asking the department to give us a briefing on what they've compiled to date. Let's get that information disseminated to folks. Some folks are new, and this is new material. Some will have been plucking it off the Internet and some will not have.

So let's do that. It speaks to the austerity of the committee's new mandate. It's not going to cost us anything in travel to bring them here, and it makes the little Scots guy over here happy not to spend money, Mr. Chair, if we don't have to.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

Mr. Lemieux, what do you think the chances are of getting the department here on Tuesday?

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

Oh, no problem.

[The Chair, Conservative, Larry Miller]

Okay.

Good. That solves that one.

As well, Mr. Valeriote mentioned the biotech.