REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE |
WEDNESDAY, December 8, 1999 |
The Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry has the honour to table its
FIRST REPORT
Your Committee, which was authorized by the Senate to incur expenses for the purpose of its examination and consideration of such legislation and other matters as were referred to it, reports, pursuant to Rule 104, that the expenses of the Committee during the First Session of the Thirty-Sixth Parliament were as follows:
A. With respect to its special study on the future of agriculture in Canada:
Professional and Other Services |
$ 12,137.52 |
Transportation and Communications |
$ 92,943.83 |
| Witness Expenses | $ 5,846.99 |
Other |
$ 500.00 |
| ------------ | |
Total |
$111,428.34 |
B. With respect to a special study of the Sub-Committee on the Boreal Forest to examine and report on the state of the boreal forest:
Professional and Other Services |
$ 54,137.80 |
Transportation and Communications |
$ 80,474.46 |
Witness Expenses |
$ 12,091.31 |
Other |
$ 2,482.57 |
| ------------- | |
Total |
$149,186.14 |
In the course of the First Session of the Thirty-Sixth Parliament, your Committee held 61 meetings and heard 307 witnesses. Your Committee studied two Government bills: C-4 and C-26. On C-4, your Committee visited six prairie cities to hear from over 100 witnesses. Your Committee recommended 5 amendments, which were subsequently sent to the House of Commons and to which agreement was given. In addition, your Committee conducted a fact finding visit of the Prairie Provinces in relation to its study of the Boreal Forest.
Your Committee used its order of reference to study the present and future state of agriculture to study the effect international trade practices were having on Canadian farm income, due to distortions of world prices. A report was tabled on August 4, 1999 entitled The Way Ahead: Canadian Agriculture’s Priorities in the Millennium Round which was structured as advice to the Minister of International Trade, in anticipation of the World Trade Organization Ministerial Meeting in Seattle.
In concordance with its order of reference to study the human and animal health safety issues related to the use of rBST in dairy herds, the Committee heard from 70 witnesses, over 12 meetings and produced a report entitled rBST and the Drug Approval Process which was tabled March 11, 1999.
Your Committee also created a Subcommittee on the Boreal Forest to examine and report on the state of the boreal forest, hearing a total of 74 witnesses over 27 meetings.
The Report of the Subcommittee on the Boreal Forest, Competing Realities: The Boreal Forest At Risk, presented its findings, together with 35 recommendations.
Respectfully submitted,
Deputy Chair
JOYCE FAIRBAIRN