I call the meeting to order.
All right, colleagues, we're going to get started here. Can I have your attention, please, particularly my honourable colleagues from the NDP and from the Bloc? Order, please.
Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2) and the motion adopted by the committee on Thursday, October 24, the committee is resuming its study of the intergenerational transfer of farms and new entrants.
I would like to thank our witnesses for being very patient. I apologize. We had four votes in the House, which obviously have to take precedent.
We're a bit behind schedule, but here's how we're going to handle things today.
We have, I believe, seven witnesses across two panels. We're going to handle this by having one major panel. We're going to allow everyone to provide their opening statement, and then we're going to do three rounds of questioning, so there will be our normal two rounds and then five minutes for the Conservatives and five minutes for the Liberals. That should put us right around 6:15. It will be a bit truncated, but it's the best we can do in the circumstances, and we want to be mindful of our time and our witnesses' time.
The only other thing I need from you, according to my clerk.... We have Mr. MacGregor and Mr. Epp, who are going to be joining us as substitutes, but on a more permanent basis, up until Christmas. Apparently, we need to get some type of motion from the committee to give them access to the digital binder and distribution list. I'm sure that won't be a problem, unless we really want to punish them. I don't see any issue.
(Motion agreed to)
Colleagues, with us today from the Canadian Cattle Association are Jack Chaffe and Ryder Lee. From the Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture, we have Allan Melvin. From the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, we have Coralee Foster, who is also a partner at BDO Canada.
From the Union des producteurs agricoles, we have Martin Caron, general president; David Tougas, coordinator of economics and trade; and Marc St-Roch, accounting and tax coordinator at the Research and Agricultural Policy Directorate.
From the Fédération de la relève agricole du Québec, we have David Beauvais and Véronique Simard Brochu.
From Just Food, we have Moe Garahan joining us here in the room. It's so great to have you.
Finally, we welcome Mr. Louis Dionne, executive director of the Centre de référence en agriculture et agroalimentaire du Québec, who is responsible for the ARTERRE service.
Welcome to you all. Thank you for being here.
I'm going to start with the Canadian Cattle Association for up to five minutes. We're going to go rapid fire.
Go ahead, Mr. Chaffe.