I call this meeting to order.
Welcome to meeting number 52 of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food.
I'm going to start with just a few reminders. Taking photos and videos is not permitted during the committee meeting.
Today's meeting is taking place in a hybrid format with witnesses and parliamentarians participating both in the room and online. The webcast will always show the person speaking rather than the entirety of the committee.
Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2) and the motion adopted by the committee on Wednesday, October 5, 2022, the committee is resuming its study of food price inflation.
This being International Women's Day, and, of course, this being a committee of interest given the topic of food and food inflation, I want to recognize that we have Mary Robinson, past president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, joining us here. Mary, and indeed other female leaders in the agriculture community, thank you so much for all of your work on behalf of Canadians.
I'd now like to welcome our witnesses. With us today in the room from Empire Company Limited is Michael Medline, president and chief executive officer. From Loblaw Companies Limited, we have Galen Weston, chairman and president. Joining us online we have Eric La Flèche, president and chief executive officer of Metro Inc.
We are going to allow up to five minutes for opening remarks from each of the witnesses. Then we are going to turn it over to questions.
Colleagues, for your benefit, I intend to go for about an hour and 20 minutes with three rounds of questions. Then we have some additional committee work that we need to carry on with.
Without further ado, I will turn it over to our first witness.
Mr. Medline, you have up to five minutes.