Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Agriculture and Forestry
Issue 26 - Eighth Report of the Committee
Thursday, November 22, 2012
The Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry has the honour to table its
EIGHTH REPORT
Your committee, which was authorized to examine the subject matter of Division 19 of Part 4 of Bill C-45, a second Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 29, 2012 and other measures, has, in obedience to the order of reference of Tuesday, October 30, 2012, examined the said subject matter and now reports as follows:
The modernization of the Canada Grain Act — which has not been revised in over 40 years — would simplify the activities of the Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) and reduce the regulatory burden on grain producers. It is estimated that the proposed changes would eliminate about $20 million annually.
Between November 1 and November 22, 2012, the Committee held three meetings comprising approximately seven hours in total on this study. In addition to testimony by the Honourable Gerry Ritz, P.C., M.P., Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board, and Elwin Hermanson, Chief Commissioner of the Canadian Grain Commission, the Committee heard testimony from senior officials with Agriculture and Agri- Food Canada and the Canadian Grain Commission as well as representatives from 12 organizations. Two people also appeared as individuals (see the Appendix). These witnesses work in the grain sector in various areas including production, transportation, handling, storage, processing and research.
Testimony concerned the following:
Privatization of certain inspection and weighing issues;
An increase in CGC user fees;
Implementation of an insurance-based program to protect payments to producers;
Grain marketing freedom; and
Rail transport of grain.
Respectfully submitted,
PERCY MOCKLER
Chair
Appendix — List of witnesses
(Organizations and individuals)
Study on the subject-matter of Bill C-45,
Part 4, Division 19
The Hon. Gerry Ritz, P.C., M.P., Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board
Elwin Hermanson, Chief Commissioner, Canadian Grain Commission
Frédéric Seppey, Director General, Policy Development and Analysis Section, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Gordon Miles, Chief Operating Officer, Canadian Grain Commission
Organizations:
Alberta Barley Commission
Canadian Canola Growers Association
Canadian Wheat Board Alliance
Grain Farmers of Ontario
Grain Growers of Canada
Inland Terminal Association of Canada
National Farmers Union
OmniTrax, Canada
Red Coast Rail
Western Barley Growers Association
Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association
Western Grain Elevator Association
As individuals:
Jeff Nielsen
John De Pape