Agriculture committee  Here's a question I've always wondered about. What's the difference between beer and ale, or is there one?

Agriculture committee  Mr. Atamanenko.

Agriculture committee  Thanks very much, Mr. Harford. I have technical and other questions. Years ago, we had three major brewers: Carling, Molson, and Labatt. They were Canadian. Are they all owned by foreign companies now, just out of curiosity?

Agriculture committee  Are there any barriers for moving beer across the border, whether coming into Canada, if we look at the United States, or exports?

Petitions  Mr. Speaker, I have three petitions. The first, signed by hundreds of Canadians from Alberta, Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia, is offering support for my Bill C-322, An Act to amend the Health of Animals Act and the Meat Inspection Act (slaughter of horses for human consumption) thus prohibiting the importation or exportation of horses for slaughter for human consumption as well as horsemeat products for human consumption.

Petitions  Mr. Speaker, I have well over 600 names on a petition dealing with animal cruelty. The petitioners call upon the House of Commons to work with the provinces to ensure that federal and provincial laws are constructed and enforced to ensure that those responsible for abusing, neglecting, torturing or otherwise harming animals are held appropriately accountable.

Petitions  Mr. Speaker, the third one is in support of Bill C-452, dealing with human trafficking, which includes crimes committed within Canada and in foreign countries. The petitioners call upon the House of Commons to support Bill C-452, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (exploitation and trafficking in persons).

Agriculture committee  I understand. Thank you. The next topic is the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act, and you folks have raised concerns. I'm wondering, Mr. Goetz, if this is a concern to your industry.

Agriculture committee  It's not labelling. It's the size of the containers. If we deregulate the size of containers, for example, we've met with processors from Quebec, ones that make ketchup and all the other products, and they're really concerned this could be detrimental to the industry. I'm wondering if you have the same concerns.

Agriculture committee  My first question is on this idea of the excise tax exemption. Often when I've met with the Canadian Vintners Association and other folks from my area this was certainly a recommendation. My policy always is to follow up, and make the minister aware of that as just another way of doing that, which I'm sure other folks here have done.

Agriculture committee  I'm going to interject here because I understand that, and I appreciate that. You haven't seen any definite movement in this direction yet, so can we help you on that by making this a recommendation?

Agriculture committee  If I understand correctly, then, your position would be contrary to the position of the alliance and also some of the processors we heard from in other processing industries. Mr. Gedge and Mr. Marshall, you've had discussions with the minister. Have you received any commitment to maintain the regulations as they are?

Agriculture committee  You're out of time. Mr. Atamanenko.

Agriculture committee  Thank you, gentlemen, for sharing your concerns. As you probably know, I represent some of the wine industry in southern Okanagan. I'm sure those folks share the concerns that you folks are sharing, Mr. Gedge and Mr. Marshall. Just so I'm clear, your alliance would be part of the Canadian Vintners Association.

Petitions  Mr. Speaker, I have another 200 signatures, this time from Ontario, in support of my Bill C-322. The petition basically states that, because horses are ordinarily kept and treated as sport and companion animals and are not raised primarily as food-producing animals and are commonly administered drugs that are strictly prohibited from being used in the food chain, petitioners call upon us here in the House of Commons to bring and adopt into legislation Bill C-322, An Act to amend the Health of Animals Act and the Meat Inspection Act, thus prohibiting the importation or exportation of horses for slaughter for human consumption, as well as horsemeat products for human consumption.