Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just want to notify you that I'd like to move the motion that I gave notice of on Friday. All members should have a copy of it. I'm just going to read it into the record. The motion is as follows:
That the committee report the following to the House: The House of Commons' Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food calls for the immediate end of blockades at Canada's border crossings. At a time of severe strain to our supply chains, the blockades are interrupting millions of dollars of daily trade between Canada and the United States and are negatively impacting Canadian agriculture and agri-food industries, including producers, manufacturers, and processors. The federal government must play a leadership role in keeping these vital trade networks open for the thousands of agricultural businesses and workers who depend on them. That the Clerk of the Committee prepare and issue a press release following the presentation of the report in the House, and that the press release be published on the committee's website and posted on the committee's social media platforms.
Mr. Chair, I'm moving this motion because, as committee members may be aware, on Friday we had eight major agricultural organizations call for the same thing. They include the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance, the Canadian Cattlemen's Association, the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, the Canadian Meat Council, the Canadian Horticultural Council, the Canadian Pork Council, the Canadian Produce Marketing Association, and the National Cattle Feeders' Association.
We have millions of dollars of trade being impacted by these blockades, and Mr. Chair, I think that our agricultural producers need to have an ally in the House of Commons. I think they could get some encouragement if they were to see the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food adopt this motion. Then they would know that Canada's parliamentarians stand in solidarity with them.
Mr. Chair, with that, I move the motion and I invite comments from my colleagues.