Mr. Longfield.
Evidence of meeting #95 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 countries.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #95 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 countries.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:50 p.m.
Liberal
Lloyd Longfield Liberal Guelph, ON
Thanks, Mr. Chair.
I had some questions about farmers, but T.J. picked up on them. Somehow he was reading my mind.
Great answers as well. I want to thank you for the detailed answers you're giving us.
Back over to you, Mr. Chair.
4:50 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Pat Finnigan
If I may, I'm going to take my opportunity to ask a question or two.
I think it was Mr. Gorrell who said we always treat imports the same as exports as far as safety and everything, but some countries allow different products on their food than Canada does, or it could be the other way around. I know of one country, for instance, that still allows DDT on their products, which we've banned for a generation, yet we still let it in if it's not higher than a certain percentage or parts per million, from what I understand, and you can correct me if I'm wrong. How can we import products that are not allowed in Canada?
4:55 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, International Affairs Branch, Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Canadian Food Inspection Agency
For example, maximum residue levels are established at the Codex Alimentarius for most, not all, food in the world. We follow them or we have our own maximum residue levels. Because of the science, we've done a risk assessment. They could differ but they would be similar.
If we have a standard in Canada—I'll use 0.1 as an example—the product that's coming into Canada has to meet that standard, whether it's 0.1 parts per million or parts per billion. If it's greater than that, it would not be allowed into Canada. The CFIA, working with the pest management regulatory agency of Health Canada, does regular monitoring of imported products all the time. If contraventions of products are coming in, they get on a watch list, and then 100% of the next shipments are checked to make sure they're respecting the residue level in Canada.
Is there a possibility that a product will come into Canada with a residue higher than what's in Canada? Yes, but that's why we have the monitoring program and we work with certain countries. If it continues, that product would be banned from Canada and a watch list for it would be put on at the border.
4:55 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Pat Finnigan
That would apply for a Canadian product also, if you were to find an illegal product that's been growing in Canada.
4:55 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, International Affairs Branch, Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Correct. If we have a Canadian product that is not meeting the maximum residue level, it would not be allowed into commerce because it has to respect the laws and regulations in Canada as well. We're not allowed to treat imports and domestic products differently. That's part of our international obligations.
4:55 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Pat Finnigan
Those were my basic questions. Does anybody else have a question? We have a few minutes. If not, I certainly want to thank all of you for being here with us today and for keeping us informed as to how that system works to make sure we're always competitive and that we're aware of what could be a trade barrier or a non-trade barrier. That was very interesting.
Thank you, everyone.
We shall suspend, and we will come back with our business session of the meeting.
[Proceedings continue in camera]