Agriculture committee  Thanks, Minister. I want to go through some of the other policies that your government has brought forward. You can answer whether these are going to lower grocery prices. Does increasing the carbon tax on April 1 by 23% lower grocery prices, yes or no?

Agriculture committee  We will also see an increase of 50% in food waste. Are that 34% number and the food waste number things you came up with, or are they specifically from that Deloitte report?

Agriculture committee  Can you make sure that the Deloitte report is tabled with this committee as part of that?

Agriculture committee  Thank you. Obviously, we're also debating Bill C-234 in the House of Commons. There is a Senate amendment as part of that bill that removes the heating and cooling of barns from the exemption, as well as greenhouses. What impact will that amendment on Bill C-234 have on the fruit and vegetable industry when you're talking about 44% of your members selling at a loss?

Agriculture committee  Thanks, Mr. Lemaire. Mr. Spurr, you said you need help now to get through what could be another tough season. We're feeling the same in western Canada, with not much of a snowpack and with water always being an issue. Bill C-234 would exempt the carbon tax from farms on natural gas and propane, specifically greenhouses, and for you in produce, exempt heating and drying of product in barns.

Agriculture committee  Right.

Agriculture committee  Right. Just to be clear, that carbon tax is not only on your natural gas and propane, but when you're buying fertilizer, it's on that fertilizer, and when you're paying for your diesel and transportation, it's also on that diesel. Removing that cost would provide you assistance and financial relief right now, which could happen.

Agriculture committee  Thanks, Mr. Chair. Before I go to some of our other witnesses, I want to go back to Mr. Lemaire. I think it's important that we really highlight this number. I want to make sure I have this right. You said that if the current government goes ahead with the P2 plastics ban, the increase in food costs will be 34%.

Agriculture committee  What was the average air time that horses were in the air going from Canada to Japan, for example?

Agriculture committee  There was one instance where they went over 28, and that was for weather. There was a stop in Seattle. The average is 23. Again, they're below industry standards. The fatality rate is zero. The injury rate is less than 1%.

Agriculture committee  If they are being inspected to ensure that they meet all of the rules, what rules are being broken that would necessitate this bill's being brought forward?

Agriculture committee  Are they breaking any laws by CFIA standards?

Agriculture committee  In the actual wording of your bill, you're saying that horses are in cramped conditions, are uncomfortable and can become wounded, injured and that there are fatalities. But clearly, the international and Canadian laws in terms of the transportation regulations in place are being exceeded.

Agriculture committee  Zero. It's zero fatalities since 2014. Do you know the frequency—

Agriculture committee  According to our own Canadian statistics and the CFIA, the answer is zero. What is the frequency of injured animals on air transportation? Do you know?