I call this meeting to order.
Welcome to meeting number 62 of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food.
I'll start with just a few reminders.
Today's meeting is taking place in a hybrid format. The proceedings will be made available via the House of Commons website. Just so you are aware, the webcast will always show the person speaking, rather than the entirety of the committee.
Colleagues, it's great to be back. I apologize that I have to be here virtually this evening. Unfortunately, family matters require me to be at home, but I'm looking forward to what will be a really important discussion.
I just want to recognize that Mr. Savard-Tremblay is substituting for Mr. Perron, and we're going to have Mr. Epp in for Mr. Barlow for the first hour.
Welcome to you both.
Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2) and the motion adopted by the committee on Monday, April 24, 2023, the committee is commencing it's study of the closure of the Olymel processing plant in Vallée-Jonction.
I would now like to welcome our witnesses for the first one-hour panel.
From the Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food, we have Donald Boucher, director general, sector development and analysis directorate. From the Department of Citizenship and Immigration, we have Tal Elharrar, who is the senior director, and Ian Gillespie, director of temporary resident policy and program. From the Department of Employment and Social Development, we have Jacinthe David. From Olymel, we have Paul Beauchamp, who is first vice-president, and Louis Banville, who is vice-president, human resources. From Sollio Cooperative Group, we have Stéphane Forget, senior vice-president, public affairs, co-operation and corporate responsibility.
We're going to have a five-minute opening statement from each organization, with the exception of ESDC. It will be 20 minutes, and we'll try to do our best to get two rounds of questioning in.
I'm going to start with the Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food for up to five minutes, please.