Agriculture Committee on Nov. 2nd, 2022

[The Chair, Liberal, Kody Blois]

I'm looking to my other colleagues in the room to see. It's not clear to me. Are we looking for an additional follow-up, Mr. Lehoux, an additional email sent from the committee, expressing that we think it's important to come, if the time can be made? Is that what you're asking for? Are you asking for additional correspondence from myself or the clerk, in that capacity?

[Richard Lehoux, Conservative, Beauce, QC]

It's even more important for the minister to come given that only yesterday, he announced an increase in the number of immigrants. Perhaps there could be an arrangement for farm workers who are already on the waiting list to enter the country.

[The Chair, Liberal, Kody Blois]

Go ahead, Ms. Taylor Roy.

[Leah Taylor Roy, Liberal, Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON]

If it's not possible for the minister to come, is it possible to have someone from the ministry or department come to address the concerns?

[Richard Lehoux, Conservative, Beauce, QC]

Ms. Taylor Roy, in the current circumstances, it would definitely be better for it to be the minister, because he's the one, when all is said and done, who determines the department's main policies.

I hope he will be able to find the time. I too have been on the committee for three years, and it's an exceedingly important issue for the agri-food sector, particularly as we are now in a context of global food insecurity.

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

Mr. Chair, I suggest reaching out again. After that, report back to the committee on what the answer is.

[The Chair, Liberal, Kody Blois]

I'm happy to do so. We'll reach out again.

Thank you, Mr. Lehoux.

The final piece of business, if I do have just a moment, is that we did receive a letter of correspondence from the president and CEO of the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity, and I'll make sure that the clerk distributes this accordingly. I think it's come to me in my capacity as chair, but it goes on to talk about Canadians' trust and feelings towards the food system. It might have some relevance to what we're about to talk about when we move to the grocery study. I'm going to have the clerk disseminate this email, along with the attachment. The request is essentially that if this particular organization could be of use to us in terms of a briefing or conversation, they are open to doing that.

As we look to try to fill our calendar where there is going to be some up and down between two, three or four things, the grocery study, and being able to finish the report on global food security, why don't we have a conversation when we get back after the break week? If you want, we could potentially use a meeting to schedule something so we could have this conversation. Just for your benefit, it will be distributed. I wanted to raise it here.

I don't think I have anything else. Thank you for indulging me for the extra time. Now we'll call it a day.

Thank you, colleagues.