COVID-19 Pandemic Committee on June 8th, 2020

[Navdeep Bains, Liberal, Minister 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.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

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

[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?

[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.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I'll go on to Mr. Shields.

[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?

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The honourable minister.

[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—

[Martin Shields, Conservative, Bow River, AB]

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

[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—

[Martin Shields, Conservative, Bow River, AB]

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

[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—

[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?

[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.

[Martin Shields, Conservative, Bow River, AB]

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

[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—

[Martin Shields, Conservative, Bow River, AB]

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

[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—

[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?

[Marie-Claude Bibeau, Liberal, Compton—Stanstead, QC]

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

[Martin Shields, Conservative, Bow River, AB]

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

[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—

[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?

[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.

[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?