Evidence of meeting #139 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 know.
A video is available from Parliament.
12:55 p.m.
Conservative
12:55 p.m.
Liberal
Marie-Claude Bibeau Liberal Compton—Stanstead, QC
We are monitoring the situation, getting advice and thinking about it with the working group as well, because we value the thoughts of our partners.
12:55 p.m.
Conservative
Bev Shipley Conservative Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON
The problem, Minister, is that when we were asking to have input into it.... I don't know if you know when canola is planted, but they're at it. We were asking prior to that, in order to get assistance. It was May 1 when you made the announcement about the advance payment program. There was no indication coming from the government or from the Prime Minister to answer the question about where you're at with replacing the ambassador, who would be our spokesperson and our salesperson for Canada.
There has been no indication to us about the option of a WTO appeal. I'm just wondering who's actually around the table supporting our farmers? We're getting talk, but there doesn't seem to be any action.
We're just looking for some indicator that would give our producers some sense of action. We can give these programs—and I don't take away from those programs because they're voluntary; they can use them or not, and that's good—but the bigger part of it is.... You talked earlier about markets. I don't know where they are. You didn't expand on that. You didn't expand on the WTO or the ambassador, and those are three critical points.
I'm just wondering and asking when we can expect to hear something on those timelines.
12:55 p.m.
Liberal
Marie-Claude Bibeau Liberal Compton—Stanstead, QC
Once again, you have chosen your indicators, but we don't believe that those you have chosen are the right actions to proceed with. I encourage you to speak with the people representing our farmers, such as those in the working group. I believe they will tell you that we are there to support our farmers. We were there from day one, and they know that.
1 p.m.
Conservative
Bev Shipley Conservative Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON
Who do I ask, Mr. Chair, to find out those answers?
1 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Pat Finnigan
Madame Minister, we would complete our round with one more question, if you're okay with that.
Mr. MacGregor.
1 p.m.
NDP
Alistair MacGregor NDP Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC
Thank you.
I want to revisit the issue of tariff rate quotas again. You said you're aware of the issue. As the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, are you prepared to give an opinion here at committee as to whether our domestic processors should have more of the tariff rate quota allocated to them from the trade deal with the European Union, given that retailers have most of it right now?
1 p.m.
Liberal
Marie-Claude Bibeau Liberal Compton—Stanstead, QC
I have worked more on the one for the partnership agreement than for CETA, so no, I'm not prepared to give you a clear answer now, but I would be pleased to come back to you.
1 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Pat Finnigan
Thank you.
This will be all we have.
Thank you for appearing before us, Madam Minister. When you are a major player on the international scene, you can expect to have major problems that extend globally. We therefore wish you the best of luck in resolving them.
Thank you, everyone. This will conclude our meeting.