Agriculture committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have two quick questions I will try to get in. Ms. Lapointe, I just want to clarify your last statement. You said that the suspension for fresh potatoes into the United States was implemented by the Americans. Everything we have been told was that it was implemented or put in by the Canadians.

Agriculture committee  Can you also table that correspondence with the committee? I have a really quick question for Mr. Forbes. The minister stated that the ministerial order is the responsible thing to do and that they don't want to go toward dispute mechanisms with the United States. I believe we can walk and chew gum at the same time.

Agriculture committee  I'm sorry, Ms. Lapointe. Can I—

Agriculture committee  Well—

Agriculture committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm going to focus my questions on CFIA, Ms. Lapointe and Mr. Morel. Ms. Lapointe, I understand that an 80-page draft report was recently sent from CFIA to USDA regarding the P.E.I. potato issue. It was a draft; it was never vetted by the minister or by the industry.

Agriculture committee  Ms. Lapointe, I'm sorry, but I have limited time. It's normal practice for CFIA to share documents with other countries, including USDA, with incorrect information in them.

Agriculture committee  Can you table that draft with the committee, and can CFIA also table all of the correspondence, emails, phone calls, texts, between CFIA and the USDA that were made before the ministerial order and suspension were put in place? That would be very helpful. Thank you. With regard to my next question, P.E.I. has had a successful potato wart monitoring program for 20 years.

Agriculture committee  Thank you. What's the point of having a monitoring program to detect pests and then throwing out 20 years of data and making such an overreach, I would suggest, with the decision that was made by CFIA? For our own government to put in a ministerial order when the United States is exporting to Mexico potatoes that are Sprout Nipped and washed....

Agriculture committee  Assurances and hope aren't going to save the P.E.I. seed potato industry. Everything we're hearing from our American counterparts is that this is a decision and a Canadian-based problem that needs a Canadian-based solution. Why will you not lift the suspension and the ministerial order, and see if the Americans will bring in a federal order, which you have said is your main concern?

Agriculture committee  It does have something to do with the Americans, because the Americans have told you to put in that ministerial order to not allow those seed potatoes to go across Canada. You have made these decisions based on a threat from the United States. You're letting the United States dictate our international trade, as well as our interprovincial trade.

Agriculture committee  Thanks, Mr. Chair. Thanks to the minister for being here. I appreciate that. On February 1, AAFC announced $28 million for the surplus potato management program in P.E.I., to divert some of those potatoes that weren't going to be exported. However, what we've seen in the supplementaries, which we're here for today, is that only $12 million was allocated for that program.

Agriculture committee  We know we've lost last year's crop, and there's not much we can do about that. The P.E.I. Potato Board is asking for $84 million in compensation for that lost crop. With the diversion program, you're paying about eight cents per pound, which is maybe a quarter of what they're worth.

Agriculture committee  I have only a certain amount of time. You're saying, basically, that they have to look at AgriStability and AgriInvest. There is not going to be additional money from the government for that compensation. The crux of this issue, Minister.... You also stated quite emphatically that on March 10 we would have some news on what is going to be happening with the trade to the United States.

Agriculture committee  Thank you.

Agriculture committee  You mentioned the supply chain summit. I know that Soy Canada, with the rest of the container crunch coalition, put out a press release asking for a fast-paced analysis and assessment of the supply chain and outlining key areas on which to focus. I have two questions, I guess. First, has that assessment been done or initiated?