Agriculture Committee on Aug. 5th, 2020

[The Chair, Liberal, Pat Finnigan]

Okay.

As for the others, the growers or processors, you can forward them to me by tomorrow, if you wish.

Mr. Perron, did you raise your hand?

[Yves Perron, Bloc, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Yes, I raised my hand. May I speak?

[The Chair, Liberal, Pat Finnigan]

Yes, go ahead, please.

[Yves Perron, Bloc, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

I have a question about the motion before we pass it. I might have a minor amendment to suggest, and I would like my colleagues' opinion on it.

Dairy farmers have received a first payment, but they are expecting the second one. Does the wording of the motion permit us to ask the minister about that payment date or do we need to change something?

I would like to hear what my colleagues have to say about it. Perhaps Mr. Barlow would like to comment.

[The Chair, Liberal, Pat Finnigan]

Mr. Barlow, do you want to comment on that?

[John Barlow, Conservative, Foothills, AB]

I'm sorry, Mr. Chair. I just didn't hear the translator very well.

Mr. Perron, do you mind repeating it again? I apologize.

[Alistair MacGregor, NDP, Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC]

I heard it.

[John Barlow, Conservative, Foothills, AB]

Go ahead, Alistair.

[Alistair MacGregor, NDP, Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC]

I think, Monsieur Perron, if you have your six minutes with the minister, it's up to you as to what you want to ask her. You'd be free to do so.

[Yves Perron, Bloc, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

In terms of the compensation involving payments in the second year, it must be said that there has been some inaction and that some commitments have not been met.

It's fine. I am okay with that.

[The Chair, Liberal, Pat Finnigan]

Mr. Perron, when the minister is here, you will be free to ask your question on any subject you choose. Does that work for you?

[Yves Perron, Bloc, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Yes. If the committee members agree, we could also invite the dairy farmers. That will give us one more group of witnesses.

[The Chair, Liberal, Pat Finnigan]

You can submit the list of those you wish to invite, by tomorrow evening.

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

Mr. Chair, I just want to ensure that we stay on topic. I have many dairy farmers where I live, but it is important that we focus our attention on the groups that have not had an announcement yet. At the meeting, it will be important to give our full attention to them and them alone. The letter was sent by Mr. Barlow. If we cast the net too wide, we will no longer be talking about anything specifically.

I would like us to focus precisely on the four groups affected by supply management who are still expecting an announcement from our government. We owe it to them to stick to that.

Of course, if Mr. Perron wants to ask the minister a question when she is here, he can do so. However, if he wants to have another meeting with the dairy farmers only to discuss other things, that is altogether a separate matter.

I find we are not doing a service to the community we are trying to serve right now, that is, the four supply-managed farming groups other than the dairy farmers, who have already had an announcement. Mr. Perron can put the question to the minister, if he wants, but we must stay on topic, the poultry sector.

[The Chair, Liberal, Pat Finnigan]

We do have a motion. It would need an amendment if we wanted to go there.

Right now, as the motion stands, it's for Canada's poultry, egg farmers and—

[Yves Perron, Bloc, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

It is not an amendment, Mr. Chair. That was absolutely not the intent of my question or my comment. That is why I formulated it, not as an amendment, but as a question to my colleagues.

Let's keep it in mind, however. I have no problem with the rest. As for Mr. Drouin's comment, I totally understand that they are the people who need our attention.

Let's take it one step at a time.

[The Chair, Liberal, Pat Finnigan]

Okay.

Are there any other comments on the motion? I don't see any hands raised.

I'll read the motion again:

That the committee invite the Minister of Agriculture, department officials and poultry and egg stakeholders to provide an urgent update to the committee on the lack of action on promised programs from the government to support Canada’s poultry and egg farmers as a result of losses resulting from recent trade agreements.

That is the motion as presented by Mr. Barlow.

Are we all in favour of the motion?

Or perhaps I can ask this: Is anyone against the motion?

I don't see any hands raised or any signals against the motion. I will take that as consensus for the motion.

(Motion agreed to)

Mr. Barlow.

[John Barlow, Conservative, Foothills, AB]

Thank you, everybody. I appreciate the support.

[The Chair, Liberal, Pat Finnigan]

Okay.

Just to help with our list of witnesses, we're looking at three meetings. That would be six hours. If we do two hours, one with the minister and one with the officials, that leaves us four hours for other witnesses. At three per panel and three per hour, that would be 12 witnesses.

Since we're here, is everybody ready to provide their list right now? We're really looking for about 12 besides the officials and the minister, if I have this right.

Hang on: Let's just follow the first plan and have you send your list of witnesses by tomorrow. We'll go by the same ranking we had with previous studies. If you can send in your list by tomorrow evening, we'll go with that.

Are there any other comments or questions?

If not, thank you, all. We shall certainly see you soon. Thank you for joining the meeting.

The meeting is adjourned.