Agriculture Committee on March 21st, 2016

[Paul Mayers]

Thank you, Minister.

Certainly, as you've noted, our priority continues to be food safety. In terms of the issues with respect to resources that have recently been reflected in the media, as I noted in my earlier response, the agency continues to place its focus on ensuring that front-line inspection continues to be protected and that will continue to be our approach.

[The Chair, Liberal, Pat Finnigan]

Thank you, Ms. Brosseau.

Now, Mr. Joe Peschisolido, for six minutes.

[Joe Peschisolido, Liberal, Steveston—Richmond East, BC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mr. Minister, I would like to thank you and your officials for appearing before the committee here.

As you know, the agricultural food industry is a strong economic driver in my riding of Steveston—Richmond East and all across B.C., whether it be potatoes, dairy, or chickens. I like to say that in East Richmond we have the best blueberries and cranberries in the world.

I know you may disagree with that, Minister, but that is my position and I'm sticking to it.

I'd like to hear from you and perhaps from your officials what the ministry is looking at to make sure that our industry remains on the cutting edge internationally, because we're competing against the Americans, the Europeans, and other folks around the world.

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Cardigan, PE]

Thank you very much.

You're competing against everybody, and everybody is striving for the cutting edge and that's where you have to be. When I arrived in this job I was shown a number of things, including the growth of the middle class in the Asian community. They want to eat as well as you do, and they want to eat the quality food that you do. What it showed me was what an opportunity we had in this country to produce whatever, as long as we do it right. But you have to stay on the cutting edge, as you indicated, and that's what I am attempting to do, to make sure that we do that.

When you go across the country and look at our science centres and what they're doing, like producing the new seed that we talked about in 2014, and the big growth in production on the prairies, that was because of scientific work, too, of course. The seeds continue, and they continue and continue, to produce more with less. No matter what sector you're in...and with the beef producers I think it's 30% more production and a 15% reduction in the footprint. That's a big issue now around the world when you're trying to sell products.

My job and our job as government wherever we are is to make sure, to the best of our ability and with the funds we have, that the scientists are able to stay on the cutting edge. There are some things that are not that expensive, whether it was 4-H or whatever it was, and they cut down a different type of barley in the fall—

[Andrea Lyon]

Swathing.

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Cardigan, PE]

Swathing, and I forget the proper name, but it's swathing. That itself saved one dollar and some cents per head per day.

It's so important that you're able to have the people who know what they're doing work on this. In the laboratories they're able to develop resistant seeds that are resistant to different diseases, different insects. That makes us more competitive worldwide. We have to produce the best product the cheapest way we know how to make sure it's done right, and that's what our job here is as the government and that's what I intend to try to do.

[Joe Peschisolido, Liberal, Steveston—Richmond East, BC]

Mr. Minister, last week I met with Kent Mullinix, and he's the chair of the agricultural research department at Kwantlen Polytechnic University. The folks at UBC may differ, but it's in my riding and I think it's a phenomenal institution, and I also believe it's on the cutting edge of research on crop rotation, on seeds. What kind of help would the ministry provide, not only to him and his department, but to all the young farmers who are looking at getting into the industry?

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Cardigan, PE]

With the opportunity that's available to us in this country with what we have to deal with and the scientific community we have, and the big market for our products worldwide, what we have to make sure, no matter who it is, is that we provide the best product in the most reasonable way possible. That's what our job is here as the government, and your job too, to make sure that the scientists have....

There's an end to the money. You can't provide endless money, but you have to be able to make sure that they have the right.... For instance, analyzing fertilizer and understanding what plants will absorb and what they will not absorb and how much water, this is all so important to the environment. It's just amazing what they do. What it does in the end is that the farmer can produce the crop with less money, and many times a bigger crop. That's what works and that's what will work worldwide, and that's part of what we have to try to do.

That's not to mention there's no end to what you can develop, too, in the resistance line. I grew potatoes, and if anybody ever grew potatoes they knew what the green peach aphid was. It is just a curse to the potato industry and it costs every farmer a lot of money. I don't know where we are with that specific green peach aphid, but if you can produce something that would be resistant to that, you'd save the potato grower a lot of money.

That's in fact where we have been and where we must stay in this country.

[The Chair, Liberal, Pat Finnigan]

I'm sorry, Joe. Your time is up.

Pierre, you have the floor for six minutes.

[Pierre Breton, Liberal, Shefford, QC]

Thank you very much.

I thank the minister and his officials for being here today.

Over 80% of my riding is agricultural in nature. There are approximately 1,000 farms of various kinds, and 13,000 jobs depend directly or indirectly on agriculture or agri-food. The agricultural economy is extremely important in my area.

I am going to ask a question related to the one which has already asked concerning diafiltered milk.

At the last meeting of the committee, the Dairy Farmers of Canada proposed that the Canadian Food Inspection Agency delegate to the Canadian Dairy Commission the responsibility for monitoring the composition of cheese made by Canadian processors.

What is your position on that? What do you think of the opinion that was expressed by the dairy producers?

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Cardigan, PE]

If I caught you right, you were saying that the Canadian milk commission was going to enforce certain regulations. Is that what you were saying to me? No, it would be the CFIA that would enforce these regulations.

[Pierre Breton, Liberal, Shefford, QC]

Do you think that the CFIA has the necessary resources to carry out those inspections or monitor cheese production?

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Cardigan, PE]

I feel that they have, and the indications up to this point for what requirements they have to fulfill in this country seem to point out that they do have enough staff to take care of the issue. Now, there are always different polls or organizations that indicate one thing or another, but the information we receive is that the CFIA has the manpower to enforce what they need to enforce in this country.

[Pierre Breton, Liberal, Shefford, QC]

Thank you.

I am going to move on to another topic.

Earlier, you spoke about temporary foreign workers. I know that you are having talks with your colleague the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour.

The insufficiency of foreign workers to pick apples here, among other things, is still a problem. My region is the biggest apple producing region in Quebec.

Could you tell us about the discussions you have had with your colleague on this file? The apple producers in my area are worried that the Guatemalan and Mexican workers will not arrive in time to help them with their harvest, or that there will not be enough of them.

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Cardigan, PE]

Thank you very much.

I fully understand your concern. We have it in our area too. There was a provision made for the fish processors. That had been done before.

As you know, we have indicated a commitment to review this program, and we will. As I indicated, Minister Mihychuk is in charge of this. She will put a review in place, and it will be a place to make sure that what you feel, what your apple producers feel, what your beef processors feel, and what whoever works in this country feels...it's vitally important.

There was a problem with this program. It's a good program, in my view, whether I should be saying that or not, but it has to be run properly. What we have to do is make sure that Minister Mihychuk gets the information where the work.... As I said before, if we have apple growers or processors of some kind in your riding—or in anybody else's riding—and we do not have the workers to do the processing, and if you have the apples or the potatoes or whatever it is but you don't have the manpower to run the plants, it's vitally important that this message is steered directly to this review. We want to make sure that it's put together properly. We certainly don't want to hurt the economy. If you feel that it would help the economy to have these workers in place, it's very important that you do that.

I think it's very important for everybody to do that, because no matter what minister or what government it is, if you have feedback from entrepreneurs or stakeholders across the country and you make different changes, then you have something to indicate why you've made these changes. That's in fact what she needs and what the government needs in order to put this back in place. I cannot tell you what it's going to be. I come from an area where there were quite a few temporary foreign workers used, but I suppose I have to be a little careful in expressing my full view on it. It's an open discussion, and it's important that you and your stakeholders do that.

[The Chair, Liberal, Pat Finnigan]

Thank you, Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Breton.

Mr. Warkentin, you have the floor.

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Grande Prairie—Mackenzie, AB]

Thank you.

Thank you, Minister, for being here. I do appreciate that you've taken the time to come today. I know that you're very busy.

Minister, farmers expect that you will be their voice at the cabinet table. We've heard that again and again. Many farmers and farm organizations have already had or attempted to have meetings with you and your office in the hopes that you will defend their interests at the cabinet table.

I think it is distressing when we hear from you that if people have concerns with regard to certain issues that affect the farm, they shouldn't talk to you, but to some other minister. Today I asked you a question in the House of Commons with regard to labour issues on the farm, specifically as it relates to the slaughter facilities across the country, and you didn't take the question. I understand that it may not have been your decision, but Minister Mihychuk did take the question and basically said not to worry about it because she made a speech in Winnipeg last week. Everybody who listened to that speech was assured that she wasn't clear about what the issues were, and she certainly didn't have solutions.

Minister, if you're going to be the defender of farm families and the defender of the industry at the cabinet table, what are you saying as it relates to TFWs and the necessity for labour in slaughter facilities across this country and on the farm? What are you saying at the cabinet table? The rumour is floating around that the fisheries minister has more pull with your seatmate than you do, and he got his exemption last week. You didn't get yours.

Just so that we can put this rumour to rest and assure farms and farm families that you have their backs, what have you said?

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Cardigan, PE]

I thank you very much.

I appreciate the question, and never would I want to indicate that you shouldn't bring it up here. In fact, you should bring it up everywhere you can, including in the House—

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Grande Prairie—Mackenzie, AB]

What—

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Cardigan, PE]

Go ahead.

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Grande Prairie—Mackenzie, AB]

What will your answer be? I'm just asking for what your answer is and what you're going to say at the cabinet table.

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Cardigan, PE]

Well, if I were the one who was going to fix the program, I would have an answer for you, but I would be in great difficulty if I indicated what the answer was, on the understanding that there is another minister in charge.

But on what you did today, I think it was a good thing to do, and I think it was a good question. I think it was also important—

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Grande Prairie—Mackenzie, AB]

I appreciate that. We didn't like the answer, and if you don't have an answer, that's fine. I appreciate that.

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Cardigan, PE]

Would you just let me indicate...?

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Grande Prairie—Mackenzie, AB]

Sure.