Evidence of meeting #34 for International Trade in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was report.
A recording is available from Parliament.
11:40 a.m.
NDP
Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I think the two motions are complementary. We've had hearings here. We've had a very clear indication from the government. In fact, I think it's fair to say that Minister Day was absolutely clear on the issue.
11:40 a.m.
An hon. member
Outstanding.
11:40 a.m.
NDP
Peter Julian NDP Burnaby—New Westminster, BC
I wouldn't say outstanding, but I thought he was very clear on the issue of defending supply management. I have no dispute there. He's on the record, and it's a good thing we held these hearings.
I think the issue that is still outstanding is how we've communicated that. Certainly, when it comes to the whole issue of negotiations at the WTO, that's the concern that has arisen. The government has been clear in Canada, but has the government effectively communicated that position? I think a number of our witnesses and members of the committee have indicated that that is the shortcoming.
My motion, which I hope will be adopted along with Mr. Brison's motion, so we have the two together, would provide instruction to the government through the committee following our hearings. We have to take a very clear stand to say that the text will not be signed by Canada, that when it comes to state trading enterprises and supply management systems, it's unacceptable. In that way, we've done our job as a committee.
Mr. Chair, to conclude, New Zealand has an exemption on state trading enterprises. When we look at the text, New Zealand's state trading enterprise dealing with kiwi is very clearly completely exempt from the negotiations and from the draft agricultural text.
Canada needs to communicate that to our partners—if the government is taking a strong stand—and obtain the same kind of very clear exemptions that New Zealand has obtained. If we do that, Mr. Chair, then I think we have a consensus, we've done good work on this, and we can move on to other issues.
11:40 a.m.
Conservative
11:40 a.m.
Conservative
Gerald Keddy Conservative South Shore—St. Margaret's, NS
This is on the first motion of Mr. Julian, right?
11:40 a.m.
An hon. member
Could we have a recorded vote?
11:40 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Lee Richardson
We will have a recorded vote.
(Motion negatived: nays 6; yeas 5 [See Minutes of Proceedings])
The next motion is Mr. Brison's.
11:40 a.m.
Liberal
Scott Brison Liberal Kings—Hants, NS
I think everyone has the motion:
That the Government of Canada affirms its unequivocal support of, and commitment to defend, Canada's supply management system.
11:45 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Lee Richardson
All right. Is there any further discussion on that motion?
Monsieur Cardin.
11:45 a.m.
Bloc
Serge Cardin Bloc Sherbrooke, QC
The report's recommendation says that the Government of Canada reaffirms its support. If Mr. Brison has no objections, we could use the verb “reaffirms”, since this is not the first time that support is being given. For emphasis, we could say that the government “reaffirms its unequivocal support”. I would then add “of the integrity of Canada's supply management system”.
11:45 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Lee Richardson
Is there further discussion?
Do you want to propose an amendment, Monsieur Cardin?
Do you want to accept that as a friendly amendment, Mr. Brison, or let it stand as it is?
11:45 a.m.
Liberal
Scott Brison Liberal Kings—Hants, NS
That's fine with me, but I think the word “affirms” is stronger in some ways than the word “reaffirms”.
11:45 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Lee Richardson
You did accept a recommendation, just so the committee is clear. The committee really doesn't—
11:45 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Lee Richardson
The first line of Mr. Brison's motion....
I'll just have you read the motion again, if you like.
11:45 a.m.
Liberal
Scott Brison Liberal Kings—Hants, NS
Yes.
That the Government of Canada affirms its unequivocal support of, and commitment to defend, Canada's supply management system.
11:45 a.m.
Conservative
11:45 a.m.
Bloc
Serge Cardin Bloc Sherbrooke, QC
I don't have a problem with keeping the word “affirms”, but I did suggest that the following be added “[...] unequivocal support of the integrity of Canada's supply management system”. I don't know if Mr. Brison is willing to consider adding these words.
11:45 a.m.
Liberal
Scott Brison Liberal Kings—Hants, NS
I don't have a problem with that, but I'm not sure if it strengthens this motion.
11:45 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Lee Richardson
I think we have consensus on this one.
(Motion agreed to)
All right, we don't need a recorded vote. The motion carries.
Now we have a recommendation. We'll go back to the consideration of the report. In the draft committee we have approved the first three pages. The suggestion is that we replace the last page, the last line, with a recommendation as it's just been read into the record as Mr. Brison's motion. So the last line would now read, following the word “recommendation”, “That the Government of Canada affirms its unequivocal support of, and commitment to defend, Canada's supply management system.”
So it's just getting rid of the “re”—that's basically it—and adding “unequivocal” to the point that's there. Is everybody clear on that?
All right. Could I ask for a motion, then, to adopt the draft report?
Mr. Holder moves that the draft report as amended be adopted.
(Motion agreed to)
The second motion is the adoption of the title. The corrections in the French copy were made clear earlier, I think.
The title of the report is, “In Defence of Supply Management at the WTO”.
Mr. Cannis so moves.
(Motion agreed to)
Okay, that's unanimous. Well, aren't we getting along?
The third motion will be....
I'm sorry.
Mr. Cardin.
11:45 a.m.
Bloc
Serge Cardin Bloc Sherbrooke, QC
From the outset, I suggested that in the French version, the word “régulation” be replaced everywhere in the text by “le système de gestion de l'offre”.