Evidence of meeting #82 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 program.
A video is available from Parliament.
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
Will you get back to us faster than the Treasury Board? We're all just waiting for the Treasury Board.
3:50 p.m.
Liberal
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
—that you believe this is a good use of taxpayers' money.
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
Your government said that $4 million for autism was not a good use of taxpayers' money. We actually heard that in the House of Commons during debate. You're saying that $3 million of taxpayers' money to send foreigners to foreign conferences is a good use of taxpayers' money. I just want to get that on the record here.
3:50 p.m.
Liberal
Lawrence MacAulay Liberal Cardigan, PE
My good friend, if you're trying to indicate that I do not have a feeling for autism—
3:50 p.m.
Liberal
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
3:50 p.m.
Liberal
Lawrence MacAulay Liberal Cardigan, PE
The fact of the matter is that I'm here to respond on agriculture estimates, not on autism. I certainly have a great feeling and a concern for anybody who has any health issues, but if you're going to start bringing autism and other health issues into this—
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
It's about the good use of taxpayers' money, Minister.
3:50 p.m.
Liberal
Lawrence MacAulay Liberal Cardigan, PE
No, you brought up the autism, my good friend. You brought up the autism. It's only fair that I say to you, quite clearly, that I do have a feeling for autism. I do have a feeling for people who have less. I do have a feeling for people who are hurt. But I am the Minister of Agriculture, and that's my responsibility.
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
I appreciate your answer. You say that the $3 million is a good use of taxpayers' money. That's fine.
I want to follow up on something from about a year ago, when China cut off our canola sales because of all the dockage. We came up with an agreement. It was a compromise for a research and science-based and stable solution. Can you update us on where we are with that compromise, or with that research? Are we at a steady state with this, where we're not going to fall into having our canola blocked again? Are we comfortable with that?
3:50 p.m.
Liberal
Lawrence MacAulay Liberal Cardigan, PE
Of course, being here for a number of years, I'm fully aware that these deals have been ongoing for periods of time, and not—
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
No, no; well, it long preceded a lot of us. I'm just wondering if you could update us on where we are with that.
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
Yes. I'm asking about the science-based and stable solution research as part of the compromise.
3:50 p.m.
Liberal
Lawrence MacAulay Liberal Cardigan, PE
At the present dockage of two-point...is it 2.1%...? Yes, we have an agreement with China.
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
We have an agreement, but part of the compromise was for research into it.
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
