Evidence of meeting #18 for COVID-19 Pandemic in the 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.

A video is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

1:05 p.m.

Mississauga—Malton Ontario

Liberal

Navdeep Bains LiberalMinister of Innovation

Mr. Chair, we have clear provisions to protect Canadians under the Investment Canada Act. The net benefit analysis is there to make sure that vulnerable Canadian companies are given the benefit through this process, and we make sure when it comes to national security as well that all such transactions are subject to assessments.

1:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

Now we'll go on to Ms. Rood, for a 10-second question if possible.

1:05 p.m.

Conservative

Lianne Rood Conservative Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON

Mr. Chair, last week the member for Kingston was reportedly calling on the government to make information on the Internet surrounding COVID-19 accurate. This isn't the first time that the government has been toying with the idea of truth arbitration. I'd like to give the government a chance to set the record straight: Will the government be regulating content on the Internet, yes or no?

1:05 p.m.

Liberal

Navdeep Bains Liberal Mississauga—Malton, ON

Mr. Chair, we have very clear provisions in place to make sure that when it comes to online content it's consistent with Canadian laws.

1:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

I'll go on to Mr. Shields.

1:05 p.m.

Conservative

Martin Shields Conservative Bow River, AB

Mr. Chair, can the minister inform the House what the average livestock price insurance premium for a cow-calf operator was a year ago?

1:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

The honourable minister.

1:05 p.m.

Liberal

Marie-Claude Bibeau Liberal Compton—Stanstead, QC

Mr. Chair, we are supporting our farmers in different ways. Recently, for the meat sector, we have opened the AgriRecovery program to support—

1:05 p.m.

Conservative

Martin Shields Conservative Bow River, AB

Can the minister inform the House what the insurance rate is now?

1:05 p.m.

Liberal

Marie-Claude Bibeau Liberal Compton—Stanstead, QC

Mr. Chair, I understand that the price of insurance on livestock has increased considerably under COVID-19. We have put in place various programs that—

1:10 p.m.

Conservative

Martin Shields Conservative Bow River, AB

Can the minister inform the House by what percentage the insurance rate has increased since the pandemic?

1:10 p.m.

Liberal

Marie-Claude Bibeau Liberal Compton—Stanstead, QC

Mr. Chair, we have put in place the AgriRecovery program to support the beef sector, as well as the $77.5 million—

1:10 p.m.

Conservative

Martin Shields Conservative Bow River, AB

Can the minister inform the House how many head of cattle the JBS and Cargill meat-packing plants process per day at full capacity?

1:10 p.m.

Liberal

Marie-Claude Bibeau Liberal Compton—Stanstead, QC

Mr. Chair, as I said, we are supporting the meat sector in a significant way. We have put in place the AgriRecovery fund. With the collaboration of the provinces, it means $50 million in addition to the processing fund.

1:10 p.m.

Conservative

Martin Shields Conservative Bow River, AB

Can the minister inform the House at what capacity these plans are currently operating?

1:10 p.m.

Liberal

Marie-Claude Bibeau Liberal Compton—Stanstead, QC

Mr. Chair, once again, we have put in place a fund of $77.5 million to support the food-processing—

1:10 p.m.

Conservative

Martin Shields Conservative Bow River, AB

Can the minister tell what percentage of cattle in feedlots is currently being sold to processing plants?

1:10 p.m.

Liberal

Marie-Claude Bibeau Liberal Compton—Stanstead, QC

Mr. Chair, I know the meat sector is having a hard time because of COVID, because its employees have to work in—

1:10 p.m.

Conservative

Martin Shields Conservative Bow River, AB

The feedlots are full. How much longer will the money the federal government committed to the set-aside program sustain feedlot operators?

1:10 p.m.

Liberal

Marie-Claude Bibeau Liberal Compton—Stanstead, QC

We are supporting the processing plants with a $77.5 million fund.

1:10 p.m.

Conservative

Martin Shields Conservative Bow River, AB

How is the amount of money determined to be enough to support our beef supply chain?

June 8th, 2020 / 1:10 p.m.

Liberal

Marie-Claude Bibeau Liberal Compton—Stanstead, QC

Once again, there is more than one program under the business risk management program. There is also the AgriStability, the AgriInvest—

1:10 p.m.

Conservative

Martin Shields Conservative Bow River, AB

Seed potato growers don't qualify for the surplus food purchase program under the federal criteria: no seeds, no potatoes. Will the government correct this oversight in Alberta?

1:10 p.m.

Liberal

Marie-Claude Bibeau Liberal Compton—Stanstead, QC

I'm very well aware of the situation. Actually, I've spoken to the industry once again this morning. We have all the business risk management programs in place and we are working hard to fill some gaps.

1:10 p.m.

Conservative

Martin Shields Conservative Bow River, AB

Thank you for that one. I appreciate that.

Now we'll go back to the insurance on the AgriStability. When we talk about the insurance rate, if your insurance rate increased by 400%, do you think that's a program you'd buy into?