Evidence of meeting #64 for Agriculture and Agri-Food in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was going.
A video is available from Parliament.
6:15 p.m.
Deputy Minister, Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has the exact numbers, but for now, I can assure you it is not 700,000 kilograms.
6:15 p.m.
Conservative
6:15 p.m.
Vice-President, Operations, Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Currently, 285,000 kilograms of chicken have entered Canada, and the chicken has undergone intensive testing.
6:15 p.m.
Vice-President, Operations, Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Through increased and intensive testing, we ensure that the chicken that goes on the market is of the same quality as Canadian poultry.
6:15 p.m.
Conservative
Richard Lehoux Conservative Beauce, QC
The committee is aware that the agreement on the conditions for importing meat products from Ukraine is valid until June. We do not know if this agreement will be renewed or not.
Do you know how much chicken will be imported into Canada over the next few weeks or months?
6:15 p.m.
Vice-President, Operations, Canadian Food Inspection Agency
We don't know exactly, because the importers are the ones who make those decisions.
At this time, we have no indication that any more chicken will be exported to Canada, and no indication that we have been asked to inspect any more incoming chicken. All chicken that has arrived in Canada has been tested. If more chicken has been exported to Canada, it may have been returned elsewhere.
6:15 p.m.
Conservative
Richard Lehoux Conservative Beauce, QC
We know that chicken from Ukraine could be exported to Canada until June. Do you know how much more could be exported to Canada? Has anyone calculated the impact this could have on our chicken producers? After all, we're talking about supply management here.
6:15 p.m.
Vice-President, Operations, Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Perhaps I'll ask my colleagues at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada to answer. Nevertheless, I can tell you that at the moment, we have received 14 deliveries of chicken, and only 9 more deliveries are expected. However, those deliveries have not yet been announced.
6:15 p.m.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative John Barlow
Thank you, Mr. Lehoux, and thank you, Mr. Morel.
I don't know, Ms. Beck, if you were going to try to complete his.... Mr. Morel is maybe passing the answer over, but if you have a quick answer, maybe you can provide that.
6:15 p.m.
Deputy Minister, Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food
It's just that we do have a number, and I don't want to say the wrong one.
We will send you the information. It is indeed a very small percentage.
6:20 p.m.
Conservative
John Barlow Conservative Foothills, AB
You can just table that with the committee when you have an opportunity.
Thank you.
We go now to Mrs. Valdez for five minutes.
Go ahead, please.
6:20 p.m.
Liberal
Rechie Valdez Liberal Mississauga—Streetsville, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I'm going to try asking a question to each of you.
Can you provide some detail or insight on the significance of the services provided by the Canadian Grain Commission? Perhaps you can touch on the terms of inspection, weighing and assessment services, particularly if the projected revenues are about $61 million, which is what I read in the estimates.
I'm not sure who's best able to answer that one.
6:20 p.m.
Deputy Minister, Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food
I'm not sure anybody is, in fact, unfortunately. Are you looking for the number of inspections that are made on a regular basis?
6:20 p.m.
Liberal
Rechie Valdez Liberal Mississauga—Streetsville, ON
Exactly. With the number that's in the estimates, how are you going to use those funds? Where are they going to go?
6:20 p.m.
Deputy Minister, Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food
You mean the revenue from the inspections.
6:20 p.m.
Deputy Minister, Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food
The revenue from the inspections goes towards the operating funds necessary for the Canadian Grain Commission. Those are spent largely on operating dollars, for instance, for the laboratories in the inspection facilities and the running of the actual facilities themselves—the operating and electrical bills and things like that, as well as salaries. Those are the main things.
While my colleague is looking for numbers, I would just add that the research done and the tests run in those laboratories are done jointly with the grain producers, companies and processors, and priorities are assigned on the basis of consultations.
Did that give you enough time to find any numbers?
6:20 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Corporate Management Branch, Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Thank you for the question.
Most of the revenue is used to pay for the operating costs of the Canadian Grain Commission. A large portion of these expenses is related to grain regulation activities, and the rest is for internal services.
6:20 p.m.
Liberal
Rechie Valdez Liberal Mississauga—Streetsville, ON
Can you share with us how the commission ensures transparency or accountability in utilizing these revenues?
6:20 p.m.
Deputy Minister, Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food
It's in table 2. Is that right?
6:20 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Corporate Management Branch, Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food
It is in table 2. I don't have that detail.
6:20 p.m.
Deputy Minister, Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food
They would table it in the main estimates, as everybody else does, so it would have the same transparency the rest of government has.
6:20 p.m.
Liberal
Rechie Valdez Liberal Mississauga—Streetsville, ON
Thank you.
Could you provide a breakdown of the key areas or initiatives the proposed expenditures of $1.8 billion, I think, for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will support within the department?
6:20 p.m.
Deputy Minister, Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food
The $1.8 billion we have tabled in the main estimates, and then, of course, we hope there will be more funds coming in the supplementary estimates.
Our chief financial officer has the details.