Agriculture Committee on Oct. 18th, 2018

[Eva Nassif, Liberal, Vimy, QC]

Thank you very much.

[The Chair, Liberal, Pat Finnigan]

Mr. Berthold, you have six minutes.

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Ms. Lafleur, please use my time to finish what you were saying.

[Ginette Lafleur]

I have spoken to a lot of people who felt discouraged and abandoned. They had no real idea of what was going to happen nor if the next generation should be put in the same situation. For milk producers, that hurts a lot.

We do not identify everyone in distress, but we have a net that allows us to identify a good number. It allows them to express themselves in other terms.

It is true that social media can be a very helpful medium, but what they were conveying during that period was more likely to increase the level of stress. So I was happy that we were able to direct people with a deep feeling of distress to field workers everywhere. We do not have the solution, but we can help them to release the pressure a little. At the moment, we do not know much about that, but it is—

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Thank you very much. This is very enlightening. I will come back to it in a few minutes, but I just want to say one thing. You are in the process of getting organized to make contact with farmers. The sentinels and the field workers are doing it first. I was very impressed with the field workers. However, I believe that there is a major problem with providing the services that farmers need.

Let me give you an example of someone very close to me. He has a problem with addiction. He called a CLSC and then dialled 411. He had to go through a 40-minute interview on the phone to determine if he was eligible to receive services. That is all done with no human contact. The first time, he refused and hung up. Finally, someone succeeded in convincing him to call back. That happened two weeks ago. His appointment is for November 7. Who knows what might happen by then? The lack of help is a disgrace. This person, however, was deemed to have problems, but the system did not take care of him. That is unacceptable.

[Ginette Lafleur]

I agree with you completely. When farmers go to a CLSC or call to get a service, it often takes time to get it. The action must start as soon as someone reaches out for help.

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Besides, the questions asked during those 40 minutes have nothing, absolutely nothing, to do with agriculture.

[Ginette Lafleur]

We are told that at Au coeur des familles agricoles. We are aware that we could completely lose those people, that it deters them from looking for help. It happens.

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

That is what happened the first time. The person called first to get the State's services at no cost. He was discouraged and then turned to the private sector, because it was impossible to get into the State system as quickly. It is a real problem and it is good that you are making us aware of it.

Let me go back to what you mentioned earlier about the current negotiations. That is one of the things that is happening to people, whether they like it or not.

I will take advantage of the fact that you brought the matter up to submit a motion and to ask my colleagues to study it.

Mr. Chair, let me read the motion and you will see where I want to go with it.

That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food conduct a study on the consequences of the draft USMCA on Canadian farmers, particularly as related to:

1) producers under supply management,

2) any limitations placed on Canadian exports

3) any limitations placed on Canada’s ability to make independent regulatory decisions within the agricultural sector

in order to gather feedback from those who will be impacted by the USMCA, and its consequences on farmers' mental health; that this study be comprised of no less than four meetings to be held at the committee's earliest convenience; that the minister and departmental officials be in attendance for at least one meeting; that the government produce all studies, evaluations, analysis, and reports that touch on the matters of this study and that the findings of this study be included in the Committee’s report on mental health.

Mr. Chair, I am submitting this motion because we have a very specific situation at the moment and we can attempt to understand what is happening.

I have sent everyone a copy of the motion, May I talk about it a little?

[The Chair, Liberal, Pat Finnigan]

It is certainly a source of stress, as is every other stressor in the world of agriculture, and we are going to raise the profile. However, I believe that it exceeds the scope of our study. If the committee decided to look at the issue, we could do it as another study.

Mr. Longfield, I think you had a question.

[Lloyd Longfield, Liberal, Guelph, ON]

Yes. I'm sorry to the witnesses. I was really hoping to get some questions in, but it looks like our time is going to get hijacked here.

I'm wondering if it is permissible under the rules to go ahead with this.

[The Chair, Liberal, Pat Finnigan]

It would have to be the choice of the committee.

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Mr. Chair, I just want to remind you that the notice—

[The Chair, Liberal, Pat Finnigan]

Excuse me, Mr. Berthold, but I don't think Mr. Longfield had finished.

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

You spoke after he did, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Pat Finnigan]

That is because he had asked me a question.

Did you have further to add to this, Mr. Longfield?

[Lloyd Longfield, Liberal, Guelph, ON]

I was going to say we should just adjourn the debate on this.

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

I had not even said anything yet.

[Lloyd Longfield, Liberal, Guelph, ON]

It's a motion.

[The Chair, Liberal, Pat Finnigan]

The motion was submitted and I decided that it is not in order for…

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Mr. Chair, the motion is in order because it deals with the topic we are studying. You cannot refuse to accept it.

[The Chair, Liberal, Pat Finnigan]

So you are challenging my decision.

Personally, I decided that it exceeds the scope of what we are studying at the moment. It is a stress like all the others. We can talk about it, but in the context of another study.

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Mr. Chair, are you—

[The Chair, Liberal, Pat Finnigan]

You challenged my decision and that is not debatable.

Shall the decision of the chair be sustained?

(Ruling of the chair sustained [See Minutes of Proceedings])

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

It's incredible. I have never seen this before, Mr. Chair. I have never seen this before.