Agriculture Committee on April 24th, 2023

[Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay, Bloc, Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC]

Very good.

How much time do I have left, Mr. Chair?

[The Chair, Liberal, Kody Blois]

You have used half your speaking time. You have three minutes left.

[Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay, Bloc, Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC]

That's excellent.

Mr. Hamilton, would you like to add something, given that you have addressed the question? Do you see the link between climate change and exacerbation of the problem associated with parasites?

[John C. Hamilton]

I don't think I'm qualified to say whether it's related to climate change, but I would very strongly like to reinforce Jake's comments that we need new products. We're seeing the end of the Apivar strips, and there is an oxalic treatment that I can't use because I cannot.... I work for a limited company that is actually one of the top 50 companies in Canada, and I'm unable to use a product. It's glycerin with oxalic acid. It's under review, but I can't use it because it's not a legal treatment in Canada. I was in a bee yard with another beekeeper, and he said to me, “Jack, you're a fool for not doing it. It works really good,” and I said, “I can't use it. It's illegal.”

[Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay, Bloc, Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC]

We understand what you are saying about products very well.

But even though you say you are not qualified to comment on the question of climate change, you do confirm that reproduction of the larva is facilitated by heat.

Is that correct?

[John C. Hamilton]

Yes, it would be, but if you get the treatments at the proper times, it defeats the climate change advantage for the mite.

[Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay, Bloc, Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Hamilton.

Mr. Berg, since you work at the Canadian Honey Council, I would like to tell you about what has been said by some beekeepers: that new beekeepers don't have enough training to do their work properly.

Do you know whether a standard curriculum is offered in educational institutions in Quebec and in the Canadian provinces?

[The Chair, Liberal, Kody Blois]

You have about 30 seconds, Mr. Berg.

[Jake Berg]

There are a couple of different institutions that do offer beekeeping training, although there is no national-based beekeeping course that could be offered. That could also be part of the solution, but the bigger thing here would be more access. As my colleague Mr. Hamilton was referring to, there are some treatments that we know work, but they haven't been approved yet.

[The Chair, Liberal, Kody Blois]

Thank you to you both.

We'll now go to Mr. MacGregor for up to six minutes.

[Alistair MacGregor, NDP, Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC]

Thank you, Chair.

Thanks to the witnesses for being here today.

Mr. Rosser, we limit packaged bees coming in to Canada from Australia, Chile and New Zealand. Those three countries share a characteristic in that they are separated from other countries. Australia and New Zealand are naturally islands, and Chile has the Andes mountains.

I'm trying to understand the discrepancy as to why we restrict packaged bees to those countries, and probably I've outlined the answer. Why then do we also allow queens to come in from California and Hawaii? What is the main difference there?

[Tom Rosser]

Mr. Chair, I thank the hon. member for the question.

I will answer it, although I should preface it. If my CFIA colleagues were able to join, the regulator could give a more authoritative answer.

My understanding is that for any potential foreign source of bees, the CFIA will undertake a risk assessment of that country.

The member is quite right that a large number of the packaged bees come from the southern hemisphere, in part reflecting the work done by the working group. Some other geographic priorities have recently been identified as potential sources. My understanding is that the CFIA has now authorized the importing of packaged bees from Italy. I know we're in active discussions with Ukraine. I believe Ukraine has also been approved as a source of bees. It's based on a risk assessment of the relative risks of bringing in bees from that country.

In terms of packaged bees versus queens, my layperson's understanding is that with a larger number of animals, it's harder to screen them visually or otherwise. That's why they are perceived to be a higher risk than the importation of queens.

[Alistair MacGregor, NDP, Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC]

Mr. Hamilton, if we were to change the rules on packaged bees, I guess the immediate beneficial impact would be that you would have more availability to choose from. Is it costs that you assume would go down because of the distance in transport, or does northern California have a larger stock and is able to sell at a better price than what's available from Chile, New Zealand and Australia?

[John C. Hamilton]

The bees coming from New Zealand and Australia are going into winter. The bees coming out of California are spring bees. Almond pollination starts on Valentine's Day. A month later it's finished, and there isn't really anything from then until June. There are minor pollination crops throughout the United States, but the big honey crops come from alfalfa and clover later in the year. There's an ample surplus of bees at that time of year, because they're big, strong colonies and you can shake them. It's really quite effective. They are spring bees. They are not bees that are going into fall or winter in Australia and New Zealand. They are local bees.

I keep wanting to go back to.... There are not enough that we're going to deplete the business for people in different provinces who are operating a local industry, because I'm sure the Americans are.... Right now, a package of bees in California is worth $120 U.S. We're paying $285 to deliver it to the Halifax airport, so—

[Alistair MacGregor, NDP, Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC]

I just want to get to some other questions.

Varroa have been a big subject today. I guess it's my understanding that with the packages of bees we import, there's been no immunity developed naturally or through breeding techniques abroad to make any kind of resistance to varroa possible. Is that right? You're basically importing them to replace ones that have been lost to the mite, right? You're just trying to replenish populations. We haven't figured that piece of the puzzle out yet.

[John C. Hamilton]

They have bees that are naturally hygienic, but it's a recessive trait. Anybody who has bees they don't treat will see them die.

[Alistair MacGregor, NDP, Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC]

I have someone from Vancouver Island who is involved in a non-profit called Ensure Hive Future. He is working, really, on trying to develop, through breeding, a honeybee that fits with Vancouver Island's characteristics. Varroa are a big issue, and he is really trying to develop traits that would make bees resistant to varroa.

I know, Mr. Rosser, that you don't have the expertise, but can you tell us, from a 30,000-foot level, whether there is research going on in this area? Has there been any promise in the breeding programs, or are we just, for the foreseeable future, going to have to rely on chemical and synthetic methods to take care of this pest?

[Tom Rosser]

Again, Mr. Chair, I regret that my colleague couldn't join us. Dr. Pernal was telling me today about collaborative research he's doing with somebody at Simon Fraser University on new varroa control projects, so I guess the short answer is yes.

[Alistair MacGregor, NDP, Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC]

Then—

[The Chair, Liberal, Kody Blois]

Mr. MacGregor, I apologize. We're at time, but you're going to—

[Alistair MacGregor, NDP, Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC]

I'm only at five minutes and eighteen seconds.

[The Chair, Liberal, Kody Blois]

I have you at six minutes.

[Alistair MacGregor, NDP, Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC]

Oh, okay. Sorry. I may have started the clock a little bit late.

[Voices]

Oh, oh!

[Alistair MacGregor, NDP, Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC]

I'll leave it there, Mr. Chair.