Andy Mitchell

[Agriculture and Agri-Food, November 29th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member may know that when the Americans brought an action against the Canadian government in terms of a countervail, a ruling clearly indicated that was not the case. The decision found in favour of Canada and no countervail was put in place.

In terms of the anti-dumping, we have been working with the industry, and in particular through our embassy in the United States, to indicate clearly that such an action is not only not in the best interests of Canadian producers, it is in fact not in the interests of American producers as well. We have been making that case to the Americans on an ongoing basis.

[Agriculture and Agri-Food, November 29th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, as I have said in the House in answering questions from the Bloc in the last couple of weeks, we provided over $366 million through business risk management to producers in Quebec.

As the hon. member has pointed out to me and others, there is a very specific problem in terms of the cull cows. We are working with the province of Quebec, and producers in Quebec and elsewhere to address that. The long term solution, of course, is to build increased slaughter capacity and we announced funds for that initiative on September 10.

[Agriculture and Agri-Food, November 29th, 2004]

Clearly, Mr. Speaker, we have been making the point to the Americans on an ongoing basis that we believe we should have access to the U.S. market. In fact, we have had almost 160 separate interventions. We were very pleased last week when President Bush informed the Prime Minister that the rule change had moved out of the USDA and into the OMB with a specific timeline attached to that process.

[Canadian Food Inspection Agency Enforcement Act, November 26th, 2004]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-27, an act to regulate and prohibit certain activities related to food and other products to which the acts under the administration of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency apply and to provide for the administration and enforcement of those acts and to amend other acts in consequence.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

[Agriculture and Agri-Food, November 26th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, as I have said many times in the House, under business risk management, specifically for the Province of Quebec, we provided some $366 million.

On the issue of slaughter capacity, on September 10 we put forward a very specific program that will assist in the development of new slaughter capacity. In reality the long term and medium term solution for the situation that exists in Quebec is to create new slaughter capacity within a competitive environment, and that is what we are working toward.

[Agriculture and Agri-Food, November 26th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, we are working very closely with the Government of Quebec, as well as with producers in the province, as well as, quite frankly, with producers right across Canada on the particular issue of cull animals. Those discussions have been progressing and we will continue with them.

Let me say very clearly that we understand that there is a specific issue that exists that producers need to deal with and we are prepared to continue to do the work necessary so that we can address it.

[Agriculture and Agri-Food, November 24th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, that is absolutely ludicrous. I would suggest that they stop playing politics and start helping producers. The reality is that we put forward a $38 million program that will assist in building new slaughter capacity so that there can be a competitive environment that will allow there to be a reasonable marketplace in Quebec and elsewhere in this country.

[Agriculture and Agri-Food, November 24th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, quite to the contrary, as I said in answer to the many questions that the Bloc has directed at us in the last couple of days, we have provided some $366 million to Quebec producers under business risk management and additional money in terms of BSE.

As I have said on many occasions, there is a specific issue with dairy cull cows. We are dealing with that issue. There is a range of options on how that could be done. Part of it could be through the pricing that is about to be announced in respect of milk. Others have mentioned a minimum price. There are other initiatives we may want to undertake. We are in discussions at this moment, figuring out the best way to do it.

[Agriculture and Agri-Food, November 23rd, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, it is exactly that strong will that has resulted in the investments that have been made in Quebec. Exactly that strong will is why we are fully engaged with the province of Quebec and the minister of agriculture for the province of Quebec. It is why we have been meeting with producers in Quebec, including meetings today that have been happening with the UPA, to discuss the range of options that are available in order to do even more than what we have already done.

[Agriculture and Agri-Food, November 23rd, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, I am quite glad that the agriculture critic for the Bloc has informed the House leader of exactly what the issue is, and it is slaughter capacity. As she pointed out, the difficulty is that there is only one source or one place that the cull cows can go to, so an initiative that will allow for the creation of additional capacity and allow for a competitive environment for that capacity is the long term solution to that issue.