Bill C-18 committee  Mr. Chair, I think the particular reference in the bill is exactly the same as what is in the current act, in terms of the powers to the directors. What I would like to reinforce, before I turn it over Mr. Meredith to explain in more detail, is that broadly speaking the intent he

Bill C-18 committee  As a way of introduction, this is an issue that the working group spent a good deal of time discussing. We held a special session on logistics. As I mentioned earlier, we had officials from Transport Canada who were involved in the rail review participating in our discussions. I

Bill C-18 committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. On this issue I'm going to turn to Greg Meredith, the assistant deputy minister for strategic policy.

Bill C-18 committee  Mr. Chair, on this issue I think the working group saw very much that quality was an issue for all aspects of the supply chain. Farmers themselves are committed to quality. Grain companies are committed to quality. Above all, of course, in terms of the supply chain, the role of t

Bill C-18 committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. What is in the bill is a recommendation of the report. I would like to ask Richard Phillips or Steve Vandervalk to speak to the issue, as they were participants in the subcommittee on research.

Bill C-18 committee  Let me elaborate a little.

Bill C-18 committee  On the issue of cost-benefit analysis, this was not part of the work of the people here tonight. I brought a binder with seven or eight studies that have been done over the last 15 years on the topic of cost-benefit analysis. This has been a long-standing debate, and there have b

Bill C-18 committee  We have examined those costs and have discussed them with some of the Wheat Board officials. Where we believe we will make progress in terms of identifying these costs and these transition costs--

Bill C-18 committee  Once the bill is passed, we will be able to sit down under the new governance of the Wheat Board--

Bill C-18 committee  Mr. Chair, those are the costs identified by Mr. Oberg, the chair of the Wheat Board, in terms of moving forward, with reference to the KPMG study.

Bill C-18 committee  I think there are two or three things I can say on this topic, and I'd be happy to make those remarks. First of all, the issue of cost-benefit analysis was not a subject of discussion for the working group. In keeping with the mandate of the committee, it was to assume that we w

Bill C-18 committee  Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. I would also like to thank the members of the committee. I'm pleased to be here today to speak to the Marketing Freedom for Grain Farmers Act and the contribution of the working group on marketing freedom. As the chair has indicated, we have me