Evidence of meeting #3 for Agriculture and Agri-Food in the 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was amendment.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

4:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Pat Finnigan

That would be right after the words “the carbon cycle”?

Is that correct, Mr. Perron?

4:10 p.m.

Bloc

Yves Perron Bloc Berthier—Maskinongé, QC

Yes. I think it's included in the previous sentence, in a general way, but I wanted to make that clear.

4:10 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Pat Finnigan

All right. So we have an amendment on the table.

Are there any further comments?

4:10 p.m.

Conservative

John Barlow Conservative Foothills, AB

Can he read his amendment again?

4:10 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Pat Finnigan

Mr. Perron, you suggest that we add “such as reducing the use of plastics....”?

4:10 p.m.

Bloc

Yves Perron Bloc Berthier—Maskinongé, QC

I move that we add this “as well as other industry efforts to reduce environmental impact, such as reducing the use of plastics and alternative growing methods”.

Basically, they are examples.

4:10 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Pat Finnigan

“...and alternative growing methods”.

That's the line you want to add in there. That's the amendment.

Mr. Barlow.

4:10 p.m.

Conservative

John Barlow Conservative Foothills, AB

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

I appreciate my colleague's suggestion, but I think adding plastic use.... That's a different study. We really want to focus this on greenhouse gas emissions and their carbon footprint. That is the focus of this study. If we want to do another one on plastic use in agriculture or something like that, we can certainly do that. I would be interested in doing something along that line, but I really don't want to make this too broad. I want to try to keep this focused on GHG emissions.

4:10 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Pat Finnigan

Are there any further comments on the amendment?

Mr. Perron.

4:10 p.m.

Bloc

Yves Perron Bloc Berthier—Maskinongé, QC

Far be it from me to deflect the subject of the study, but it's important to know, for example, that the thin plastic used to package some fruits and vegetables can extend their shelf life long enough to be consumed rather than wasted, which ultimately has an effect on greenhouse gases.

The committee may decide to make it a subject of study. I might even consider making it a motion. There's still a direct link. It is not unrelated to the subject.

4:10 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Pat Finnigan

Mr. Blois.

4:10 p.m.

Liberal

Kody Blois Liberal Kings—Hants, NS

I certainly appreciate my colleague's concern on this issue. However, when I look at Mr. Barlow's original motion and then certainly the second one that's been put forth, it's very focused on farm operations on site, and some of what Mr. Perron is speaking about is more on the retail side and perhaps moving forward.

I would agree with Mr. Barlow's sense that it's a little bit broad. We only have eight meetings, and that would be covering a lot of ground on top of the additions that we've already included. I would encourage Mr. Perron to bring it forward at another time perhaps.

4:10 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Pat Finnigan

Okay, are there any other comments on the amendment?

We will vote on the amendment.

4:10 p.m.

Bloc

Yves Perron Bloc Berthier—Maskinongé, QC

I withdraw it.

4:10 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Pat Finnigan

All right.

Are there any further comments on the motion?

(Motion agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])

Thank you.

Mr. MacGregor.

4:10 p.m.

NDP

Alistair MacGregor NDP Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC

Thank you, Chair.

I would like to take this opportunity to move my motion, which I believe I got in first as a notice of motion. I have some copies here in both languages. If we can distribute it around, I'm going to read it into the record:

That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-food conduct a comprehensive study into the Business Risk Management (BRM) suite of programs to ensure that they are adequately meeting the challenges of farming in the 21st century; that this study include hearing from witnesses with specific knowledge of how the BRM suite of programs are or are not currently meeting the needs of farmers; that no fewer than three meetings be held to hear from witnesses; and that the committee report its findings with recommendations back to the House of Commons.

I have been meeting with a number of agricultural stakeholders this year, and no fewer than six of them have raised concerns with the business risk management programs. Particularly, AgriStability seems to be a big one.

I know that this committee included some recommendations in a 2017 report that singled out the BRM programs for review. Given the challenges we face, notably from climate change, from uncertainty in international trade markets, I believe that this committee can work alongside the executive branch, hear from witnesses and present some comprehensive recommendations for how the programs could be amended.

The minister did meet with her territorial and provincial counterparts in December, but I see no reason that this body can't undertake this work, especially when I think all of us have been hearing a lot of feedback that these programs really need a review.

I'll end by saying that I would accept an amendment to my motion to include that we ask for a government response.

4:15 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Pat Finnigan

Do we ask for a government response?

4:15 p.m.

NDP

Alistair MacGregor NDP Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC

Yes, someone could move an amendment to my motion asking that, pursuant to Standing Order 109, we request a government response.

Thank you.

4:15 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Pat Finnigan

Mr. Perron, you have the floor.

4:15 p.m.

Bloc

Yves Perron Bloc Berthier—Maskinongé, QC

I am going to humour Mr. MacGregor and move an amendment to ask Parliament to respond to his motion under Standing Order 109.

At the same time, I want to say that I support this motion. Business risk management programs are complex and do not always meet our farmers' needs. In fact, it is one of the priorities of the Union des producteurs agricoles to review these programs in depth. This is a great opportunity and we are in the best position to do it. I therefore support the motion.

4:15 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Pat Finnigan

Thank you.

Are there any other comments?

Mr. Drouin, you have the floor.

February 25th, 2020 / 4:15 p.m.

Liberal

Francis Drouin Liberal Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON

My amendment is not very long, it is four or five words. I hope that my colleague will accept it.

The amendment I would like to bring forward is.... We're already amending Standing Order 108(2) to 109, I believe.

4:15 p.m.

NDP

Alistair MacGregor NDP Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC

No. Sorry, we're adding Standing Order 109 at the end: that, pursuant to Standing Order 109, we ask for a government response.

4:15 p.m.

Liberal

Francis Drouin Liberal Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON

Okay.

After “the Business Risk Management (BRM) suite of programs”, we would like to add—we like to be precise; it might be my French—“to do a gap analysis, identify improvements, to better meet challenges of farming in the 21st century”.

The amendment would add, after “programs”, “to do a gap analysis, identify improvements”, and then we'd go back to “to better meet challenges of farming in the 21st century”.

We like to be precise.

4:15 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Pat Finnigan

Mr. Drouin, let me see, “to better meet the challenges”.... It's different wording.

Could you repeat the wording, just to make sure we have it, Monsieur Drouin?