Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
I have a couple of questions for our witnesses, but I want to start with the motion I put forward last week. I would like to table that motion for a vote now. If it's okay with the chair, I will read the motion into the record.
It is:
That the committee immediately undertake a study on the government's consultations titled “Tax Planning Using Private Corporations” as publicly released on July 18, 2017; That the committee hear from witnesses on this topic for 15 meetings; That the hearings focus on the potential impact of the consultations, including making it easier to sell a family farm to a stranger than to a family member and how this will impact the Canadian agriculture and agri-food economy; That the findings be reported to the House; and That the government provide a response to the recommendations made by the committee.
The reason I think this is critical, Mr. Chair, is that we've heard from just about every witness we have had on this study that the importance of affordable food is going to be a key platform and part of our foundation of this study and, I think, of food policy moving forward.
In my opinion and certainly the opinion of every single farmer and rancher I have spoken with over the last several weeks, there is grave concern about how they can remain financially sustainable with some of these tax changes being brought forward by the Finance Minister, not only when it comes to passive income, but also in their ability to estate plan and pass on their family farm to the next generation. They have been working on these legacies sometimes for four or five generations. They are looking forward to passing that farm on to the next generation.
I think it's very disconcerting that we've had this much concern raised from farm and ranch families across Canada. I know my colleagues across the floor have been getting the same phone calls we have. Again, I think it is the job of this committee to be the voice of those farmers and ranchers who are raising those concerns.
It seems to me that as every day passes, it's quite clear that the Finance Minister is not going to extend the consultation period on these tax changes. I think this is an opportunity for the agriculture committee to step up, study these changes, and come back to farmers and ranchers with some answers on exactly what the economic impact of these changes will be. That's why I think it's so critical that we move forward with this study, Mr. Chair.
Thank you.