Evidence of meeting #79 for Agriculture and Agri-Food in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was bees.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

John Cowan  Vice-President, Strategic Development, Grain Farmers of Ontario
Pierre Petelle  Vice-President, Chemistry, CropLife Canada
Maria Trainer  Managing Director, Regulatory Affairs, CropLife Canada
Grant Hicks  President, Alberta Beekeepers Commission
Kevin Nixon  Director, Canadian Honey Council, Alberta Beekeepers

12:55 p.m.

Liberal

Frank Valeriote Liberal Guelph, ON

It's about the report you submitted.

I don't have the benefit of the entire report. I have a number of pages that were attached.

You talked about a number of recommendations. I haven't had the benefit of looking at those recommendations. Can you recite some of them, as a result of our not having that report?

12:55 p.m.

Conservative

Royal Galipeau Conservative Ottawa—Orléans, ON

You have 30 seconds.

12:55 p.m.

Liberal

Frank Valeriote Liberal Guelph, ON

Don't listen to him. You go ahead.

12:55 p.m.

Director, Canadian Honey Council, Alberta Beekeepers

Kevin Nixon

There are over 40 recommendations. Do you...?

12:55 p.m.

Liberal

Frank Valeriote Liberal Guelph, ON

Recite the more significant ones.

12:55 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed

In order to save time, I'd ask you to forward those recommendations to me through the clerk's office—

12:55 p.m.

Director, Canadian Honey Council, Alberta Beekeepers

Kevin Nixon

Yes, we can do that.

12:55 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed

—and I'll see that they're distributed to the members.

We have another piece of information getting translated, and I'll make sure the committee members get that as quickly as possible.

12:55 p.m.

Liberal

Frank Valeriote Liberal Guelph, ON

Great. That's all. Thank you.

12:55 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed

Mr. Shipley, do you have a final comment?

May 7th, 2013 / 12:55 p.m.

Conservative

Bev Shipley Conservative Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have a quick question.

You mentioned the concern regarding the pesticides register because you're a small industry.

Is there the opportunity for Canada to piggyback with other nations as they develop registrations for products, whether for mites or others that you need to deal with, so that when the registration happens, Canada becomes a part of that solution, along with other nations, which gives us the advantage of having a bigger pot to work out of?

12:55 p.m.

President, Alberta Beekeepers Commission

Grant Hicks

That's way out-of-the-box thinking, but it would be a great way to go. It currently doesn't occur, although I think PMRA has lined up with the international...to a much better degree.

12:55 p.m.

Conservative

Bev Shipley Conservative Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON

Actually, PMRA should be doing that, or looking at it or considering it. It might be something for the Canadian beekeepers to be pushing for.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

12:55 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Merv Tweed

You're more than welcome.

With that, I'll thank our guests for being here today. We appreciate your time and input. It's a big challenge, obviously, and we're not opposed to challenges on this committee, so hopefully we'll come forward with something that suits most.

For the committee's sake, we'll continue on Thursday with this study.

I also want to advise members, and particularly staff, that we need the recommendations of people for the animal welfare segment. We need their names forwarded by the end of this week so that we can send the invitations.

Thank you. The meeting is adjourned.