Evidence of meeting #121 for Agriculture and Agri-Food in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was you're.
A video is available from Parliament.
9:45 a.m.
Conservative
9:45 a.m.
Liberal
Lawrence MacAulay Liberal Cardigan, PE
Mr. Chair, Luc is a good friend of mine. He was talking about me using up time, but it's hard to get in a word edgewise with him. He's a great man.
Yes, of course, I'm always concerned about what products are approved and what products are not approved. I hope that when you're speaking to farmers, as I know you will, you'll mention the accelerated tax deduction. I just wonder how they like that. Ask them about the $25 million that we invested in trade. Ask them about the trade contracts we've signed with China. It's important that you speak about these things, too.
I know you're very concerned about agriculture, but it's very important to have the total picture. Agriculture is booming. We want to make sure it continues to boom.
9:45 a.m.
Conservative
9:45 a.m.
Liberal
Lawrence MacAulay Liberal Cardigan, PE
I want to thank this committee so much for the great help it's been over the years. I appreciate it, and you're great friends.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. It's been a privilege.
9:45 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Pat Finnigan
Thank you, Minister, for being with us today to share the government's initiatives on trade, research, mental health and all the others.
I thank the committee.
We shall pause for a brief moment and then come back with the panel.
9:50 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Pat Finnigan
Welcome, once again, for the second hour.
With us, we have the deputy minister of the Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Mr. Chris Forbes. We also have Ms. Christine Walker, assistant deputy minister, corporate management branch. Welcome again to both of you.
We shall go right to the questions round. We'll start with Monsieur Berthold for six minutes.
9:50 a.m.
Conservative
Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Forbes, Ms. Walker, thank you for coming today.
I hope that we will gets more meaningful answers during our second hour. That said, Mr. Forbes and Ms. Walker, I don't want drag you into our little political sparring match with the minister. I'm sure you will be able to answer my questions.
Of the $250 million budget of the dairy farm investment program. I believe that one hundred million dollars have already been paid out to producers, or thereabouts. Would it be possible to tell us how many applications have been submitted and how many have been approved?
I am still wondering how this money was distributed to farmers. On what basis did you give funding? It would be wonderful to know.
9:50 a.m.
Deputy Minister, Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Right. I will try to answer.
We have received between 2,000 and 2,500 applications under the program. We received many applications and the first window is now closed. Approximately 1,900 people will receive a payment. As you stated, this was the first window for applications and there will be a second one. I do not know the exact date, but it's coming soon so that we may distribute all of the $250 million.
9:50 a.m.
Conservative
Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC
Am I wrong in saying that almost half of the money has been distributed?
9:50 a.m.
Deputy Minister, Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Yes, it's about half, maybe a bit more. We received many comments from the sector on the process. We used the first-come first-served principle. We often consult industry stakeholders to know what we could do to improve the process during the second phase and to make things easier and fairer for them.
9:50 a.m.
Conservative
Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC
Would you be able to give us a breakdown of the current situation per region and sum up the first phase. I think that would be very useful.
9:50 a.m.
Conservative
Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC
This will help us to make the necessary changes during the second phase. We would know from which provinces the most applications were received and also where the highest number of applications were rejected.
9:55 a.m.
Conservative
Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC
The members of the committee, would be most grateful for that information.
9:55 a.m.
Deputy Minister, Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food
I do have something, somewhere, but I would have to find it. Could you give me a moment? I know that it was about...
9:55 a.m.
Conservative
Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC
Mr. Forbes, rather than reading the figures out loud, could you simply forward them to the committee?
9:55 a.m.
Conservative
Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC
That would be fine.
Dr. Komal, I did not formally greet you. Thank you so much for coming.
I would like to talk to you about a producer from British Columbia who is also a processor who is only authorized to sell his products in his province. However, one of his clients then sold his products in another province without his knowledge. The same producer has fallen foul of your agency for this reason.
Up to what point is a producer or processor responsible for his or her products if, without any involvement on his or her part, his or her products wind up in another province?
9:55 a.m.
Dr. Jaspinder Komal Vice-President, Science Branch, Chief Veterinary Officer and World Organisation for Animal Health Delegate for Canada, Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Thank you for your question.
Normally, when it comes to interprovincial sales, products must be inspected by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
9:55 a.m.
Conservative
Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC
The processor sold his products to a distributor in his province. Those products were sold, the transaction completed, and so forth. The problem is that the distributor decided to send part of the shipment of products to another province without informing the processor.
Why is the producer then in your agency's sights?
9:55 a.m.
Vice-President, Science Branch, Chief Veterinary Officer and World Organisation for Animal Health Delegate for Canada, Canadian Food Inspection Agency
It would depend on the situation. If the producer informed the buyer that his products could only be sold in the province, but the buyer sold them in other provinces regardless, it is the buyer that is responsible. Our field personnel conduct an investigation to find out what has happened and decide accordingly.
9:55 a.m.
Conservative
Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC
I will send you the information I have on this case. This is a strange one. I do not understand why this processor would have to pay a fine totalling tens of thousands of dollars. This case is before the courts. I didn't want to reveal any details, but I wanted to know how you proceed in general. I do however think that it would be worth your while to take a look at this case. I would like to know at what point the processor is no longer responsible. If he or she sells his products to a distributor and that distributor forwards them on to another distributor, the processor's responsibility must end at a certain point.
As we know, it is very difficult to follow-up these things up given the various levels of government. It would be most kind of you if you could look into the matter.
9:55 a.m.
Vice-President, Science Branch, Chief Veterinary Officer and World Organisation for Animal Health Delegate for Canada, Canadian Food Inspection Agency
All right.