Agriculture committee  I agree with you that this has been a difficult year for our producers. They've been under a lot of stress because of the pandemic, which is why we've put in place several measures to help them indirectly. I'll remind you that these producers have access to an interest-free loan of $60,000, of which $20,000 doesn't have to be repaid.

Agriculture committee  Yes, the Competition Bureau is an independent bureau, but they are there to support us, and actually, we got a message from the person in charge saying that he would be working with us. We're working with the Competition Bureau. It remains an independent agency, but it has skills and knowledge that it's prepared to make available to us.

Agriculture committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. Joining me today are Chris Forbes, Deputy Minister, Ms. Walker, Assistant Deputy Minister, Corporate Management Branch, as well as Colleen Barnes, of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Mr. Chair, I'm told that my colleagues listening to us over the telephone line cannot hear us yet.

Agriculture and Agri-Food  Mr. Speaker, again, the supply management system is essential. It is extremely important for the vitality of our regions and our family farms. We stood up for them against Donald Trump, who wanted the system dismantled. Less than a year ago, we paid the first installment of compensation of $345 million to our 11,000 producers and we kept going.

Agriculture and Agri-Food  Mr. Speaker, supply management is very important for agriculture in Canada. It is very important for our rural vitality. It is important to protect our family farms. Less than a year ago, 11,000 dairy farmers received $345 million. We will follow through on our commitment.

Agriculture and Agri-Food  Mr. Speaker, again, I would remind hon. members that in July last year we announced $1.75 billion over eight years to our dairy farmers as compensation for the Europe and trans-Pacific deals. Less than a year ago we paid the first installment of compensation of $345 million to our 11,000 dairy farmers and I assure the House that we will respect our commitment.

Agriculture and Agri-Food  Mr. Speaker, I assure you that the supply management system and all of our dairy, poultry and egg producers are very important to the Canadian economy, to Canada's agriculture sector, to the vitality of our regions and to protecting our family farms. That is why we are protecting the system.

Agriculture and Agri-Food  Mr. Speaker, I can assure you that we understand the supply management system very well and that we are protecting it. We protected it from Donald Trump, who wanted to dismantle it. In the summer of 2019, we announced $1.75 billion for dairy producers. Less than a year ago, we sent $345 million in initial compensation to 11,000 producers.

Agriculture and Agri-Food  Mr. Speaker, I can assure the member we have been working closely with our farmers since the beginning of the COVID crisis. We made sure they were eligible for all the programs meant to support businesses like the CEBA and the subsidy support. I can assure the member we will continue to make sure our farmers are well supported.

Agriculture and Agri-Food  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to inform the House that the mandatory isolation support for temporary foreign workers program has been extended, along with the Quarantine Act, until November 30, 2020. Under the program, employers will receive $1,500 per foreign worker to cover part of the costs associated with the 14-day isolation period during which the worker cannot work.

Agriculture and Agri-Food  Mr. Speaker, I want to assure my colleague, and the producers and grocers across Canada, that we are following the situation closely. We are looking at the different opportunities we may have, but we have to work with the provinces in this regard. I can assure members it will be a topic discussed at our federal-provincial-territorial meeting this month.

Agriculture and Agri-Food  Madam Speaker, I can assure the member that we recognize the importance of the agricultural sector to our economy in all its forms. We have made it very clear that producers and processors will be a major part of our recovery plan. I can say that this tax provision for agricultural co-operatives is currently being studied.

Agriculture and Agri-Food  Madam Speaker, once again I want reassure my colleague, all farmers under supply management and the processors that we still stand strongly behind our commitment to full and fair compensation for all of them. We announced $1.75 billion for dairy farmers. The first payment was made less than 12 months ago, and we will proceed with the second compensation payment this year.

Agriculture and Agri-Food  Madam Speaker, I can assure you that our commitment to supply-managed producers and processors remains strong. We are committed to proceeding with the second compensation payment for dairy farmers by the end of the year. We will also be announcing the type and scale of the compensation package for poultry and egg farmers for the first two agreements with Europe and the trans-Pacific region.

Agriculture and Agri-Food  Madam Speaker, I can assure the House that we are following the situation very closely with my colleague, the Minister of Innovation, and also with my colleagues from the provinces. This is a very important issue that would fall under the jurisdiction of the provinces, and this is why we will facilitate the discussion while we will be meeting many times in November through our almost weekly FPT meetings.