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.
Liberal
Lawrence MacAulay Liberal Cardigan, PE
If you want to talk about research, we're trying to restore the research that your previous government took from the government. We did put in $100 million in the last couple of years.
Conservative
Liberal
Lawrence MacAulay Liberal Cardigan, PE
What we're trying to do over a period of time is restore the research budget and science budget. It's not easy when it was totally devastated by a previous government, but we are working hard on it and we will succeed.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Pat Finnigan
Thank you, Minister MacAulay.
Now we'll go to Monsieur Drouin for six minutes.
Liberal
Francis Drouin Liberal Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I want to thank the minister for being here with his department and for appearing before the committee.
Maybe for informational purposes Mr. McCauley would like to know that Canada Foodgrains Bank is a great organization that the government plays a role in as well. All he has to do is drive a little bit outside of Edmonton and he'll see that his farmers are very supportive of that organization, which does great work in Nicaragua and in Ethiopia. I'm hoping he's not suggesting that these governments fund the Government of Canada. I'm hoping that's not the suggestion he is making.
Minister, in your opening remarks you made some statements with regard to the dairy program. I have the opportunity and the privilege to represent many dairy farmers. I know that a few months ago you announced that there would be $250 million to help dairy farmers transition and another $100 million to help cheese makers transition and upgrade their facilities. I was hoping you could provide this committee with an update on where we're at with that particular dairy program.
Liberal
Lawrence MacAulay Liberal Cardigan, PE
Number one, I've been a dairy farmer all my life, before I came here, so it was certainly a pleasure for me to be able to introduce such a program. As you're well aware, it was done in consultation with the dairy farmers across Canada. Was it enough money? Likely not. It's always hard to provide enough money. But the fact is that it's $250 million, as you indicated, to make sure that the dairy farmers are on the cutting edge.
We have received applications, and I believe we're just in the process of sending out some cheques. It's the department that handles that, of course, but we're in the process of doing that. That is the first phase. There will be another phase.
Liberal
Francis Drouin Liberal Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON
So farmers can expect news any time this week and next, and the following weeks, just in time for Christmas?
Liberal
Lawrence MacAulay Liberal Cardigan, PE
Being a farmer, this is not a Christmas deal, it's a big deal, and I understand fully. It will go on; it's somewhat technical, but it will go on. As the applications are approved, the funding will eventually go out for the first round. Then there will be another round.
The deputy might like to expand on that.
Chris Forbes Deputy Minister, Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food
We would expect that applications are being assessed right now. As applications are assessed, letters will be sent out to those whose applications are accepted. We expect that to continue for a number of weeks at least and probably into the new year. As the minister says, the next phase would be launched some time in the coming months with a new round of applications.
Liberal
Lawrence MacAulay Liberal Cardigan, PE
Of course, the $100 million for the processing sector is vitally important, too, because we just opened markets with half a billion people in Europe with CETA, and it provides a great opportunity for the agricultural sector, probably not for the import of cheese, as you know, but what this will do is make sure that our processors are on the cutting edge too. They must be, and it takes a lot of money to do that.
Liberal
Francis Drouin Liberal Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON
That's great. Thank you.
There's another issue that's been brewing. I've mentioned that I have a lot of dairy farmers in my riding, but I also have a lot of chicken farmers and egg farmers. They're all under the supply management system, obviously. As we are negotiating with the U.S. and NAFTA, I was hoping you could tell this committee what the government's position is on supply management.
I'm not too sure about the official opposition's position on that. We know that the member for Beauce and the member for Parry Sound—Muskoka voted to get rid of supply management. In fact, almost 50% of their members voted to get rid of supply management.
I was hoping you could enlighten me on the government's position on supply management and tell this committee.
Liberal
Lawrence MacAulay Liberal Cardigan, PE
As I said, as the Prime Minister said, and as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of International Trade have indicated quite clearly, we fully support the supply management system. Ever since I came here, there's always somebody eating at the supply management system. It's a system that's a model for the world. It works efficiently. The farmers provide top-quality food at a reasonable price. We must make sure that continues, and we will.
Liberal
Francis Drouin Liberal Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON
That's great.
Mr. Chair, do I have about a minute left?
Liberal
Francis Drouin Liberal Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON
In the last budget, we announced that by 2024 we were going to get to $75 billion, and I was hoping that you could talk to us about.... I know you were in China not too long ago. Perhaps you could give us an update on your discussions in China and perhaps other markets where you've been talking, and whether or not you've been discussing with those who will produce all the food to get to $75 billion. Could you provide an update to this committee?
November 30th, 2017 / 3:55 p.m.
Liberal
Lawrence MacAulay Liberal Cardigan, PE
It was certainly an interesting trip. I had just under a hundred industry people travelling with me. They signed deals worth about $300 million, but the potential is much bigger than that. Of course, it's very big on all the agricultural sectors, but beef and pork.... We need to make sure that we produce more pork and beef to make sure we can fulfill those markets too. For canola, too, they're big on that—for example, canola oil. It's so healthy and efficient; it's so important that we promote that.
But what you have to be is there.... There's only one way to do it: make sure the nation is there, the industry is there, and it's well represented there. In my view, with the Chinese, you have to sit down, look at them eye to eye and tell them what you have. They'll tell you what they want and what they expect. They have an emerging middle class. They expect top-quality, safe food, and we can provide it. That's why we have to be very careful of our regulatory process and make sure it's efficient and science-based. We will do that.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Pat Finnigan
Thank you, Mr. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Drouin.
Ms. Brosseau, you have six minutes.
NDP
Ruth Ellen Brosseau NDP Berthier—Maskinongé, QC
Thank you, Chair.
It's always a pleasure to see you at committee, Minister. I haven't had the chance to ask you questions lately in the House of Commons, but I'm really happy to be able to ask you questions specifically on supply management, to follow up on Mr. Drouin's comments.
Farmers are concerned. They're concerned about the health of supply management when we're signing all these trade deals that give more access. You will remember the Auditor General's report that talked about a lot of product coming in, with about $131-million worth of chicken, turkey, beef, eggs, and dairy products being imported without appropriate permits. Farmers and other people are really concerned.
I'm happy that Mr. Drouin brought up the dairy farm investment program, because you admitted that you have consulted and were in talks with the dairy industry and provinces about what this program should look like. You said clearly that this $215 million is probably not enough money, likely not enough money, so will you be promising more money for this program in the budget?
Also, I was wondering if we could find out the total number of applications received from producers, broken down by province and territory. If you don't have that information, could we have it sent to committee, if possible, please?
NDP
Ruth Ellen Brosseau NDP Berthier—Maskinongé, QC
For the dairy farm investment program, we want to know how many applications were received from producers, broken down by province and territory.
NDP
Liberal
Lawrence MacAulay Liberal Cardigan, PE
I just want to be sure that it didn't indicate that the program itself was flawed, because the $350 million was put together in consultation with the farmers, processors and—
