Mr. Speaker, with regard to (a), regarding a template service agreement, the crop logistics working group allows agriculture stakeholders, including shippers moving product in bulk and intermodal and carload shippers, to identify common interests and exchange views about issues, including service level agreements, in support of the Transport Canada facilitation process following from the rail freight service review. A crop logistics working group subcommittee continues to work to support agriculture sector stakeholders who are involved in the Transport Canada facilitation process.
With regard to (b), the crop logistics working group provides a forum to discuss and exchange views and to examine in detail operational issues, such as the movement of product in producer cars, arising from the transition to marketing freedom for wheat and barley. A crop logistics working group subcommittee considered issues related to moving product in producer cars and has submitted recommendations to the co-chairs of the working group.
With regard to (c), the crop logistics working group fosters discussion among agricultural stakeholders on key public sector performance measurements to reflect the present and future needs of an evolving crop logistics sector. A crop logistics working group subcommittee is documenting the range of grain industry performance measurement initiatives being undertaken by public and private entities, including the performance measurement protocols and methodologies involved in this performance measurement work. The subcommittee is also identifying the gaps in grain industry supply chain performance measurement and is working to develop a grain logistics performance measurement framework.