Agriculture Committee on May 17th, 2023

[Marie-Claude Guérard]

The main estimates will provide $769 million to producers in ongoing business risk management programs.

Through the agricultural climate solutions program and the agricultural clean technology program, $259.3 million will help producers find ways to reduce their emissions, and will also help bolster the sector's resilience.

Another $157.6 million is earmarked to support dairy, poultry and egg producers and processors while they adapt to the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement and to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Finally, to help Canadian wineries adapt after the excise duty exemption on all-Canadian wine was repealed, we have funding totalling $82.4 million this year.

[Rechie Valdez, Liberal, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

Thank you for the details.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, John Barlow]

Thank you very much, Mrs. Valdez, and thank you to our officials for spending some time with us.

Mr. Perron, we don't have two and a half minutes for you and Ms. Collins, but you have time for maybe one question for the officials.

[Yves Perron, Bloc, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

It's going to be tough.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, John Barlow]

One question doesn't include a five-minute preamble.

[Voices]

Oh, oh!

[Yves Perron, Bloc, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

All right.

I have a question for the folks at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. What is the status of revising the bovine spongiform encephalopathy standard for cattle producers?

Will the electronic truck registration be implemented in a flexible way, so that there's a little leeway in the transportation of animals, for their welfare?

[Sylvie Lapointe]

As Minister Bibeau said, we are working with our colleagues at Transport Canada. We understand the concerns expressed by people in the industry.

We don't want to have any safety issues.

We are having discussions with Transport Canada officials to try to explain our regulations in relation to theirs, and to find a pragmatic solution for carriers.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, John Barlow]

Thank you very much, Ms. Lapointe. That was very succinct.

Thank you very much, Mr. Perron.

Ms. Collins, did you have a final question for the officials?

[Laurel Collins, NDP, Victoria, BC]

Maybe just quickly, I noted the budget balance for the Grain Commission was negative, with a surplus of almost $12 million. I'm just curious about the change in the Canadian Grain Commission's budget balance.

I'm also wondering if you folks are working with Transport Canada on reducing carbon emissions when it comes to shipping grain.

[Stefanie Beck]

Perhaps I can answer the second one while my colleague is looking up numbers. For the Grain Commission I suspect it's a timing issue, but we'll look into that for you.

On reducing emissions in the supply chain, and in particular through transport, we're absolutely working with our colleagues in Transport Canada, inter alia, to find out if there are cheaper, faster or better ways of moving grain, for instance, across the country. We're seeing what alternatives are in place where we can be assured that there will be fewer emissions during the transportation of any of our agri-food products destined for export.

I would look, too, at the investments being made, for instance, in the port of Vancouver, which have been recently announced. They will take some time to take place, but the goal there as well is to reduce emissions in that part of the transportation process.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, John Barlow]

Thank you very much.

Did you want to add to that?

[Marie-Claude Guérard]

Regarding the first question, I will have to consult the CFO of the Canadian Grain Commission to know the details. I'll get back to you later.

[John Barlow, Conservative, Foothills, AB]

Thank you very much.

Thank you to the officials for your time today. We will now excuse you and we will just do a quick vote here with my colleagues.

Colleagues, we have five or six votes here, but I'm going to ask for unanimous consent to condense the first five into one vote. Is everyone okay with that?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, John Barlow]

I'll read it off. I have a pretty good feeling what the answer is going to be.

For the main estimates, shall vote 1 under Canadian Dairy Commission, vote 1 under Canadian Grain Commission, and votes 1, 5 and 10 under Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food, less the amounts voted in the interim supply, carry?

CANADIAN DAIRY COMMISSION

Vote 1—Program expenditures..........$4,222,621

(Vote 1 agreed to on division)

CANADIAN GRAIN COMMISSION

Vote 1—Program expenditures..........$5,467,952

(Vote 1 agreed to on division)

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND AGRI-FOOD

Vote 1—Operating expenditures..........$463,606,864

Vote 5—Capital expenditures..........$31,963,435

Vote 10—Grants and contributions..........$513,062,360

(Votes 1, 5 and 10 agreed to on division)

Shall the chair report the main estimates 2023-24, less the amounts voted in the interim supply, to the House?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

On division.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, John Barlow]

Thank you very much, team.

It's great to see everyone. Please enjoy your break back in your constituencies. I know everybody will be busy.

We'll see everyone in 10 days.

The meeting is adjourned.