Agriculture Committee on Nov. 26th, 2020

[Colleen Barnes]

It's very much a shared file.

On the prevention side, we have focused on a few key things. Number one is biosecurity. We need to make sure that producers are doing everything they can and have all the tools they need, all the guides they need, to make sure we have a good line of defence there. We've also taken action at the border. We have new dogs. When people were travelling, they were really checking on all the flights. Now they are focused more on the postal stream to make sure that no meat products are coming in illegally through that stream.

In terms of preparing if the worst were to come, we have been working a lot with provinces and industry on destruction options, on where disposal would happen, just so we can think through all of those key details before we ever have to face it for real.

Then we have a whole line of businesses, as the minister mentioned in her remarks, around zoning and compartments, working with trading partners so that, should it hit, we would have some good ways to keep the markets open or get them reopened very quickly.

Last is communication, just to keep this top of mind for everyone.

[Chris Forbes]

I would just add that, as Colleen said, there is quite a close connection between the agency, the department and our provincial and territorial counterparts and industry as well, through the value chain there. Obviously part of that would be the programming, the types of supports. The industry has certainly reached out to us on that, and we are having kind of an ongoing discussion with them and the provinces and territories about what would be in place if it ever came to responding.

[Lianne Rood, Conservative, Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON]

Thank you very much. I appreciate that.

I'm going to give the rest of my time to Mr. Steinley.

[Warren Steinley, Conservative, Regina—Lewvan, SK]

Thank you very much.

I have just a couple of questions with regard to trade.

I have met with groups like CAFTA, CCA, the Canola Council, Grain Growers of Canada, APAS and others, and one thing I've heard constantly is that sometimes after trade deals such as CETA or CPTPP are struck, tariffs aren't taken off and there isn't follow-up. I'm just wondering what kind of co-operation there is between CFIA and Global Affairs.

One example I was given was that in South Korea there is still a 10% tariff on beef brought in from Canada, but that tariff has been taken off for beef from Australia and the U.S.A.

Could you give us just a little bit of what the process is when following up after trade deals are signed to ensure that the countries with which we've made these deals are complying and the deals are being honoured?

[Chris Forbes]

There are a couple of things I'll say. Colleen may want to add things from CFIA's standpoint.

We do, as you allude to, work very closely with Global Affairs Canada, with our missions in the jurisdiction in question, whether that's in Brussels or in parts of Europe and Asia, and with the industry to make sure that we're seeing implementation go smoothly. If there are delays or other issues—and one of the things we hear a lot about are the non-tariff barriers that come up—we certainly work hard with all our colleagues and with the trading partners to tackle those.

Most of these agreements would come with some kind of committee structure, some kind of regular engagement structure, to help tackle some of these challenges. We would move through those processes and others to apply pressure to resolve the problems.

[Warren Steinley, Conservative, Regina—Lewvan, SK]

Thank you very much.

I have one last question. As my colleagues on the committee know, we're going through a processing capacity study right now. We had witnesses the other day who talked about how some of the capacity issues are being caused by internal non-tariff trade barriers.

We had an example from the president of APAS about where there are different standards and qualifications to bring meat across borders. You can't sell meat that we've processed in B.C. to Alberta, or from Saskatchewan to Alberta. Some of those issues are coming up, and we're saying they're one of the reasons why we're having a bit of a capacity issue and we can't attract more processing capacity across the country.

Would you have a few comments on that? Also, do you have a list of non-tariff trade barriers that you look at across the country?

[The Chair, Liberal, Pat Finnigan]

I'm sorry, Mr. Steinley. We're out of time. I'll have to move on to Ms. Bessette for five minutes.

[Lyne Bessette, Liberal, Brome—Missisquoi, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair

My first question concerns food waste. This is an important issue for me and for many organizations in my riding.

Can you tell us about the food waste reduction challenge that was announced last week? Where does that program appear in the estimates?

[Chris Forbes]

I'll ask Ms. Walker to confirm that it's indeed in the document.

It's the first phase of the challenge that we launched. We're trying to find innovative solutions to waste problems and are inviting people with an entrepreneurial bent to suggest innovative solutions to the biggest problems in the field. We'll consider the proposals submitted to us and select a number of them to address the problem in greater detail and depth and perhaps to find solutions that can apply on a broader scale in the economy.

Ms. Walker, can you tell me whether it's in the budget?

[The Chair, Liberal, Pat Finnigan]

I believe you're on mute, Ms. Walker.

[Christine Walker, Assistant Deputy Minister, Corporate Management Branch, Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

My apologies, Mr. Chair. There's a lag in the translation, so I [Technical difficulty—Editor].

[Chris Forbes]

Are they in the budget somewhere?

[Christine Walker]

Yes.

[Lyne Bessette, Liberal, Brome—Missisquoi, QC]

Thanks very much.

Mr. Forbes, I see that the Canadian Dairy Commission's borrowing limit has been raised.

Could you discuss that increase and and tell us how it will help support our dairy producers?

[Chris Forbes]

This is a $200 million increase for the current fiscal year. It helped the commission manage the imbalances that occurred in the system last spring. As you know, a milk surplus was generated when the restaurant and hotel sectors suddenly had to suspend their operations. We therefore had to manage that surplus and to prevent waste. That's important for all of us. The increase in the commission's borrowing limit gave it the necessary flexibility to reduce the milk surplus and to save the milk for future use, which helped it balance the milk market in Canada.

[Lyne Bessette, Liberal, Brome—Missisquoi, QC]

Thank you.

I see in the main estimates that operating expenses have risen approximately $22 million. Could you give us the reasons for that increase?

[Chris Forbes]

I'll let Ms. Walker answer that question.

[The Chair, Liberal, Pat Finnigan]

Ms. Walker, I think your microphone is muted.

[Christine Walker]

My apologies.

There are three things. The first is funding that was received as a result of the recent collective bargaining. The second is funding for the operations for the implementation of the food policy for Canada, and the third is funding as part of our initiative to recruit scientists.

[Lyne Bessette, Liberal, Brome—Missisquoi, QC]

Thank you very much.

That will be all for me, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Pat Finnigan]

Thank you, Ms. Bessette and Ms. Walker.

That concludes our questions round.

I want to thank our witnesses: from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Colleen Barnes, vice-president, policy and programs; from the Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Chris Forbes, deputy minister, and also assistant deputy minister Christine Walker.

Thanks again for taking the time to come here and answer our questions. It's very much appreciated.

That concludes the round, but we also have to vote on the main estimates, so I would ask the members to stay in their chairs for now.

If you're all ready, I have five votes on separate amounts.

CANADIAN DAIRY COMMISSION

Vote 1—Program expenditures..........$3,903,550

(Vote 1 agreed to on division)

CANADIAN GRAIN COMMISSION

Vote 1—Program expenditures..........$5,096,321

(Vote 1 agreed to on division)

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND AGRI-FOOD

Vote 1—Operating expenditures..........$593,829,089

Vote 5—Capital expenditures..........$39,930,131

Vote 10—Grants and contributions..........$431,713,100

(Votes 1, 5 and 10 agreed to on division)

[The Chair, Liberal, Pat Finnigan]

Shall I report the main estimates to the House?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Liberal, Pat Finnigan]

Okay.

I think, Madam Clerk, that everything is good on that front, and I shall report to the House tomorrow.

It was a great afternoon. Thank you, everyone.

We shall see you next Tuesday.

The meeting is adjourned.