Mr. Speaker, as I did in previous discussions on Bill C-4, I have to admit from the outset that, as a Quebecker, it is hard for me to feel deeply concerned about Bill C-283, An Act to amend the Canadian Wheat Board Act (audit), because those affected are mainly the grain producers in western Canada. I will be brief, and all the more so because the remarks of my Reform colleague have set the tone of the debate on his bill.
As my party's critic for agriculture, my concern should be to examine whether most farmers or the agricultural industry as a whole can benefit from the bill before the House. In my humble opinion, the amendments in this bill deserve a good discussion.
The proposed amendment to subsection 8.1 (1) on auditing reads as follows:
8.1 (1) The accounts and records of the Board shall be audited annually by the Auditor General of Canada and a report of the audit shall be made to the Board and the Minister.
This clause modifies an amendment, made by the Senate and passed by the House last June, which is included in Bill C-4. This bill, which has been enacted, provides that “Within two years after the day this section comes into force, the Auditor General of Canada may commence an audit of the accounts and financial transactions of the Corporation for such fiscal years as the Auditor General considers appropriate and a report of the audit shall be made to the Corporation and the Minister.”
There is no need to amend this clause, since such an audit is already being carried out, and the best time to undertake an audit should be left to the discretion of the auditor general. Also, the accounts are audited every year by a well-known independent accounting firm.
Subsection (2) reads as follows:
(2) The Minister shall cause the report made under subsection (1) to be laid before each House of Parliament on any of the first fifteen days on which that House is sitting after the report is received by the Minister.
This is a common procedure for when such a report is made to the Minister.
The other amendments put forward by the hon. member are well-intentioned. Some people might find it normal for a board financed by farmers and whose initial price and line of credit are guaranteed by the government, to report to the minister responsible.
This ensures transparency. It would look bad if the Liberals in this House were to disagree with that. The proposed amendment would replace paragraph 9(1)( c ) and allow the minister to follow up each month on the board's:
—purchases and sales of all grain during the month and the quantities of grain then held by it, the contracts to take delivery of grain to which it is then a party, all securities then held by it and the financial result of the Board's operations.
However, these good intentions pose a great risk to the Canadian Wheat Board. To provide this information in a written report would be to tell competitors all there is to know about the board, including its sales engineering and contracts.
In today's competitive world, this might condemn to a slow death an institution that should be considered as a business or company that ought to be profitable for its investors, that is the producers and the government, basically everyone in the country. It is likely to take the wind out of its sails during future negotiations. We must bear in mind that the grain market is not an easy market and it is an extremely competitive one.
As for the proposed amendment to paragraph 9(1)( e ), it would allow the minister to get an annual report on the Canadian Wheat Board's activities.
My previous comment still holds. There is risk of disclosing the methods used for the purchase, movement and marketing of grain.
In addition, when it was introduced in November 1997, the auditor general review clause had not yet been added to Bill C-4. The legislation now in force contains this safeguard.
In closing, the Bloc Quebecois agrees, but only in principle, with this bill, as it forces the Canadian Wheat Board to be transparent in reporting its activities to the minister responsible. However, inherent to these amendments are risks that must not be overlooked.