Agriculture Committee on Jan. 27th, 2026

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Regarding the impact of a competition act, without going into detail about prices, do you think having a measure like the one proposed would go against the spirit of competition in Canada?

[Kyle Larkin]

To be honest, it's the first I've heard of the measure that the Canadian Pork Council is pushing, so I'll have to do my reading and studying of exactly what they're pushing for.

What I can say is that there certainly is competition right now within the marketplace. We have small and medium-sized enterprises across the country, and we have large multinationals. They're all competing on a day-to-day basis. The challenge they're really facing is a shortage of livestock. The competition is extremely fierce, and it is right now benefiting producers, who are making good margins on the livestock that they're selling. You have processors, especially in Quebec right now, who are struggling to get livestock and needing to cut down on jobs and cut down on shifts. It is a challenging period a lot of processors are in right now, especially small and medium-sized enterprises.

[The Chair, Liberal, Michael Coteau]

Thank you.

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Michael Coteau]

Thank you so much.

Folks, we have eight minutes left. I'm going to extend the meeting for an extra 10 minutes, so we'll go until 10 after.

We'll do one quick round of two and a half minutes for the Conservatives, two and a half minutes for the Liberals, and a minute and a half for the Bloc. Then we have some housekeeping stuff we're going to deal with.

I'll go to the Conservatives for two and a half minutes.

[Richard Bragdon, Conservative, Tobique—Mactaquac, NB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I want to direct this question to Mr. Laycraft very quickly. I know we have to move quickly through these, but, first and foremost, recently we've come to know that under the current government, there was about $300 million in climate funding last year. At the same time, they've allocated about $8 million for gender-just, low-carbon rice in Vietnam and $22 million for beans for women for empowerment in the Democratic Republic of Congo. I just want to know quickly if these areas have been listed as the top of priorities for the Canadian producers you represent.

[Dennis Laycraft]

The short answer is definitely not. Research, innovation and trade are the real top priorities.

[Richard Bragdon, Conservative, Tobique—Mactaquac, NB]

Perfect. Thank you.

On that as well, I've come to understand recently that they're closing several research facilities across the country as it pertains to agriculture. I just learned this week also that DFO has announced that a couple of biodiversity centres are being closed. One in particular is in Mactaquac in my riding. Another one is in Coldbrook, Nova Scotia, I believe.

This is about food security, which we understand is national security. Do you have concerns in your association about the closure of these research facilities?

[Dennis Laycraft]

Yes, we certainly do for a couple of reasons. All of the forage research, which is long-term research, is in a number of these facilities. All of our food safety research that a lot of our government policies are based on were all carried out in Lacombe. To lose that is a huge loss to our country.

[Richard Bragdon, Conservative, Tobique—Mactaquac, NB]

One of them is in Nappan, Nova Scotia, as you know, which did a lot for Atlantic Canadian beef studies and forage studies there. That facility's operation is very important.

In lieu of that, I want to introduce a motion, Mr. Chair, which states:

That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), in light of the federal government’s decision to close multiple Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada research centres and experimental farms, including the Lacombe Research and Development Centre in Alberta and the Nappan Experimental Farm in Nova Scotia, the committee undertake an emergency study to examine the government’s rationale and decision-making process, as well as the economic and research impacts, including job losses and effects on rural communities; that the study commence as soon as possible; that the committee hold up to four meetings or more as needed; and that the committee report its findings to the House.

[The Chair, Liberal, Michael Coteau]

Thank you for doing it within your two and a half minutes. I appreciate that.

I'm assuming you're putting that on notice.

Okay. Thank you so much.

We'll go to the Liberals for two and a half minutes.

MP Chatel.

[Sophie Chatel, Liberal, Pontiac—Kitigan Zibi, QC]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

Over the last five years, China had closed its market to Canadian beef, which really hurt our diversification strategy, access to new markets, and so on. Following Prime Minister Mark Carney's visit to Beijing, Canada and China agreed to revisit this trade issue and once again allow beef exports.

Mr. Laycraft and Mr. Larkin, I would like to hear your thoughts to the reopening of the Chinese market. How will you benefit? Have you already started to benefit from it? We heard the first beef shipments were on their way.

Ms. Citeau, you'd like to answer that? Go ahead.

[Claire Citeau, Vice-President, International Trade, Canadian Meat Council]

The Chinese market was our fifth-largest export market in 2021 before it was closed. So this renewed access to the Chinese market is great news.

The work the government has done to re‑establish relationships also serves as a very important foundation. We are in very close communication with the government, the embassy and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to figure out the next steps, and which certificates and documents are needed to get these exports going. We welcome this news. Obviously, we hope efforts will be ongoing, that we will continue on this path to eliminate the tariffs that still apply to hog producers and processors.

[Sophie Chatel, Liberal, Pontiac—Kitigan Zibi, QC]

Thank you, Ms. Citeau. Indeed, that's a very important aspect.

Mr. Lavoie, yesterday, measures to strengthen the supply chain were announced. That leads me to talk to you about slaughterhouses, because they're really at the centre of all this. Do you think a slaughterhouse that has issues with the supply chain, with trade instability and with input costs could benefit from these measures and apply for the new funds that were announced?

[Gilbert Lavoie]

It's clear that the slaughter sector—

[The Chair, Liberal, Michael Coteau]

I'm sorry, but there's not enough time. I apologize.

We'll go to the Bloc Québécois for a minute and a half.

Go ahead, Monsieur Lemire.

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

I'd be curious to ask you the same question, Mr. Lavoie. I'll let you continue. I'm interested in hearing you on that, so I'll use my turn for that.

[Gilbert Lavoie]

The slaughter sector has a number of constraints, that's for sure. I think the Canadian Meat Council would probably be in a better position to list them. My firm has done a lot of work analyzing the relative competitiveness of our slaughter structure compared to that of the U.S., for example, as well as global rivalry, and it's clear that all the regulatory aspects and support measures designed to reduce or accelerate innovation and technologies in slaughterhouses would make the Canadian meat sector more competitive. That's very clear.

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

How can we ensure that this competitiveness benefits consumers?

Also, you talked about price differences earlier in clear terms. Why do you think some processors are hesitant when it comes to the idea of more transparent legislation?

[Gilbert Lavoie]

There are two aspects to consider. The first one was mentioned by Ms. Grant from the Canadian Cattle Association CanFax Division. Confidentiality is always an issue, which is normal. I met with people from the USDA, which is really good at self-management. That's one aspect.

As for the second aspect, with informational asymmetry in a system, there will obviously be winners and losers. Does that raise any concern? That's one of the things I saw in the documentation I analyzed on the U.S. system and the initial objections of slaughterhouses. Today, they're no longer opposed to that; they firmly support the American system.

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

There's been some reluctance, but they've been overcome. Things are going well on the American side.

Thank you, Mr. Lavoie.

[The Chair, Liberal, Michael Coteau]

Thank you, sir. I don't like cutting off our witnesses, our guests, but we have such a time constraint.

Having said that, thank you so much to our witnesses for joining us here today, and thank you for everything you do to help our agriculture sector.

If folks can stick around, we have a few items to work through.

I'll turn it over to MP Chatel.

[Sophie Chatel, Liberal, Pontiac—Kitigan Zibi, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food has been invited to study the subject matter of Bill C-15, the budget 2025 implementation act, as laid out in the finance committee motion adopted on December 10, 2025.

Regarding this, I move:

That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the committee accept the finance committee’s invitation and consider the subject matter of Bill C-15, specifically clause 223, and forward any recommendations or suggested amendments to the Chair of the Standing Committee on Finance before Friday, February 27, 2026—

[The Chair, Liberal, Michael Coteau]

Okay. I—

[Sophie Chatel, Liberal, Pontiac—Kitigan Zibi, QC]

The important part is coming.