Evidence of meeting #11 for International Trade in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was workers.
A recording is available from Parliament.
NDP
Tracey Ramsey NDP Essex, ON
Currently, we are not part of the Beijing treaty, so that is what you are requesting, that we sign onto that.
International Representative, Canada, Canadian Federation of Musicians
I am not sure if Canada signed off on it. It hasn't been adopted yet.
NDP
Tracey Ramsey NDP Essex, ON
I don't think so.
My second question goes to Ms. Ference.
We were talking about supply management, and we have seen others come and present to us as well. I think it is general knowledge that a package was offered to supply-managed farm industries in Canada by the previous government. The assistance package was quite large, starting with CETA and continuing with the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
If this compensation is there, do you feel it will be sufficient to offset the negative impacts of the TPP and CETA on Canada's chicken sector?
Chair, Alberta Chicken Producers
I think it was something that was agreed to based on the fact that didn't want to hold up any negotiations for any trade agreement. We've always stated that vocally.
I want to be clear that even though that is a compensation package, it's apparently going to be paid out over a 10-year period.
Chair, Alberta Chicken Producers
Fifteen years. That's it. We lose that production forever, and we also know there are loopholes. There have been loopholes that haven't been addressed by the government, and we need those fixed.
If they fix those loopholes, that will benefit us as Canadian farmers. We get to grow that chicken in Canada and promote...have more jobs and industry, and further processing.
NDP
Tracey Ramsey NDP Essex, ON
Actually, it's very unclear whether or not that money exists under the current government. The agricultural minister has said that the money may be there after the ratification, so it's really unknown, I think, at this point, whether that money even exists under the current government.
You mentioned some other changes. Are there any other changes that the chicken producers would like the government to make to this assistance package? Is there anything? Currently it is unknown whether or not that exists. Are there any changes you feel you could implement around that with the current government?
Chair, Alberta Chicken Producers
There are none that I can think of off the top of my head.
NDP
Tracey Ramsey NDP Essex, ON
The minister has a strong mandate to ensure that she is consulting widely, and so I would ask each of you whether or not, under the current government, you've been consulted by the minister's office.
Chair, Alberta Chicken Producers
Our provincial organization has not been consulted.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers
It's possible that our organization has been in contact on this issue, but I couldn't tell you off the top of my head.
International Representative, Canada, Canadian Federation of Musicians
I don't believe so, but I'm not sure.
NDP
Tracey Ramsey NDP Essex, ON
My goodness. What else can I think of? Yes, the labour mobility. Let's talk about labour mobility.
We just had the Alberta Federation of Labour in here discussing labour mobility and implications of the Trans-Pacific Partnership for that, and how they really differ from the TFW.
It's a legitimate concern to say that we could end up having musicians come from all the TPP countries into our country and that there would be fewer provisions around the work they do and, actually, no length of stay, and no pathway to citizenship either. Chapter 12 of the TPP on labour mobility has been identified to us today as a flawed process. Can you speak some more about that?
International Representative, Canada, Canadian Federation of Musicians
I would agree with that, specifically on the fact that there's not parity. If you look at Canadian musicians trying to go to the U.S., for example, our closest neighbour, it's a lot more difficult. The P2 process has become laborious, and what's supposed to take 25 days is taking up to 90 days right now.
It's an expensive process for Canadians to go across the boarder. It's a lot simpler and less expensive process for an American to come into Canada.
We'd just like to see parity and be involved in the control aspect of that.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Mark Eyking
Thank you very much, Mr. Elliott.
Your time is up, Ms. Ramsey.
We're going to move over to the Liberals for five minutes.
Mr. Dhaliwal, please go ahead.
Liberal
Sukh Dhaliwal Liberal Surrey—Newton, BC
Madam Ference, almost 78,000 Canadians are employed in the chicken industry. I come from British Columbia. We have over 330 chicken farms, employing 3,800 people.
They say that the chicken industry is closed to imports. Would you like to comment on that?
If the TPP is ratified in its present form, how would it affect the Canadian chicken market when it is taken up by the imports?
Chair, Alberta Chicken Producers
As I said in my presentation, the chicken imports quite substantial. It's not a closed market. We're the 17th largest importer in the world and we take more than our fair share of imports compared to countries that purport to be large free traders but are not. They don't take any chicken into their own countries. For instance, we couldn't export even one piece of chicken to Australia unless it were heated to 180 degrees for something like six hours. It would be virtually non-edible. They have some barriers that we cannot abide by.
When it comes to allowing more imports into Canada, it would displace some of our products. That's why we would encourage the government to make sure that any agreement has provisions that are adhered to. They are not being adhered to right now.
Liberal
Sukh Dhaliwal Liberal Surrey—Newton, BC
If we follow the three recommendations that you made in your presentation, would that take care of the situation the chicken farmers would be in, or is there something else that you would like to see become part of the treaty?
Chair, Alberta Chicken Producers
If those three were settled, we would be very happy with that.
Liberal
Sukh Dhaliwal Liberal Surrey—Newton, BC
Are the chicken farmers exploring other markets like India and China, which are not part of the TPP?
Chair, Alberta Chicken Producers
Because of the trade agreements we have—we have supply management—we're limited as to how much we can export, so we do not pursue that.
Liberal
Sukh Dhaliwal Liberal Surrey—Newton, BC
To Mr. McMillan, expanding on Madam Ramsey's comments on labour movement, it is my understanding that we already have an agreement in place among the provinces that technical and trades people can easily move around.
Do you see anything further that should be incorporated to make it easier for labour mobility within Canada?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers
Absolutely. I think that's a work in progress. It's better today than it was 20 years ago. I think, though, our ambition here should be high. As the committee member Ludwig said, some of the experts and technical folks from her part of Canada have contributed to Alberta and Saskatchewan and British Columbia in the past few years, and right now they're going back. I think doing that serves Canada well. At different times we have different labour needs, and if we can utilize that expertise more effectively, it benefits us all in the long term. I think we're better today than we have been, but I really think our ambitions should be high.