Agriculture committee  Thank you very much. This is an extraordinary responsibility and a cumbersome step that airline pilots are going to be asked to take on if this legislation is passed in its current form. Would that be fair to say?

Agriculture committee  Thank you. My colleague across the way is trying to insinuate that there's this black hole of animal welfare when the plane lands in Japan. It's my understanding that my colleague was even invited to go and see the feedlots in Japan and declined that opportunity. Most of those whose testimony we've had, those who are supporting this bill, have not actually travelled on the planes with the horses or toured the facilities in Japan.

Agriculture committee  I'm going to move now to Captain Perry. Thanks again for your presentation here today. I want to make sure that it is crystal clear what the bill is potentially asking Canadian airline pilots to take on in terms of responsibilities. Is there any other commodity, any other product or any other cargo that a Canadian airline cargo pilot would be carrying that is asking the pilot to be responsible for the end use of that commodity, product or cargo?

Agriculture committee  Thank you. To go back to you, Dr. Lawson, you stated in your letter from your organization that this legislation “could lead to unintended negative animal welfare consequences”. Could you expand on that and maybe give us a couple of examples? I believe you were talking about biosecurity specifically.

Agriculture committee  Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. I guess my first question is for Dr. Lawson. Thank you for your letter, your submission and your testimony here today. The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association represents 8,000 veterinarians in Canada who do not all support this bill because it is not based on sound science and evidence.

Agriculture committee  Thanks, Mr. Chair. I think you'll have support from us on Mr. Perron's proposal. I also want to move a motion very quickly, colleagues. I move: Given that: a) Seven provincial premiers and 70% of Canadians oppose the government’s 23% carbon tax hike on April Fools’ Day; b) The premiers of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick have issued public letters calling on the government to provide a carbon tax carve-out for farmers and pass Bill C-234 in its original form; c) The carbon tax currently costs greenhouse operators in Canada $22 million a year and will pay between $82 million and $100 million by 2030 when the carbon tax quadruples; d) 44% of fresh fruit and vegetables growers are already selling at a loss and 77% can’t offset production cost increase; e) The Parliamentary Budget Officer has stated the carbon tax will cost farmers nearly $1 billion by 2030; f) The 2023 Food Price Report estimates that the carbon tax will cost a typical 5,000-acre farm $150,000 by 2030; and g) The “Food Professor” recommends pausing the carbon tax for the entire food supply chain, The committee call on the government to restore affordability and spike the carbon tax hike on April 1.

Agriculture committee  I realize that, Mr. Chair. I would just call my motion to a vote. The date is April 1, when the tax goes up. We're not going to be back until after that. I would ask the committee to vote on my motion right now, before we leave. I know it will be quick.

Agriculture committee  This one's right up the middle, not left or right.

Agriculture committee  Have you been consulted in the meantime or before by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada?

Agriculture committee  If I'm getting you, no one from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has taken you up on the invitation to participate in a flight and come and watch the loading and unloading. That has never happened.

Agriculture committee  We heard some testimony prior to this, in the previous hour, that there's this cloak of secrecy over what goes on and the redacting of all this information. It sounds to me like your association is quite open and transparent in inviting important officials who should have a working knowledge of how this works.

Agriculture committee  Mr. Serrien, thank you very much. I would like to ask you a similar question. What was the level of consultation for your organization from the government, prior to this bill's being tabled in the House?

Agriculture committee  The Animal Transportation Association mentioned this in their submission. I want to quote this very quickly. They state: Logistically, Bill C-355 will pose significant challenges for equine transporters and airlines operating in Canada. The requirement stipulating that every horse departing Canada via air transportation must be verified to not be intended for meat processing before export is unprecedented and introduces complexities not seen in other countries.

Agriculture committee  Yes, to have that $250,000 fine on pilots, I would think, would make it quite onerous for pilots to take on that responsibility.

Agriculture committee  I have 20 seconds or so. Lastly, one of the experts allegedly said that one of the welfare issues for horses is that they do not have the ability to lie down and rest during transportation. In your experience, is that something that horses are wanting to do during transportation—to lie down?