Thursday, June 15, 2017

The Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry has the honour to present its

EIGHTH REPORT

Your committee, which was authorized by the Senate on Thursday, March 9, 2017, to examine and report upon the potential impact of the effects of climate change on the agriculture, agri-food and forestry sectors, respectfully requests funds for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2018, and requests, for the purpose of such study, that it be empowered:

(a) engage the services of such counsel, technical, clerical and other personnel as may be necessary;

(b) adjourn from place to place within Canada; and

(c) travel inside Canada.

Pursuant to Chapter 3:06, section 2(1)(c) of the Senate Administrative Rules, the budget submitted to the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration and the report thereon of that committee are appended to this report.

Respectfully submitted,

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STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY

The potential impact of the effects of climate change on the agriculture, agri-food and forestry sectors

APPLICATION FOR BUDGET AUTHORIZATION FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING MARCH 31, 2018

Extract from the Journals of the Senate, Thursday, March 9, 2017:

The Honourable Senator Maltais moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Dagenais:

That the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry be authorized to examine and report upon the potential impact of the effects of climate change on the agriculture, agri-food and forestry sectors and the actions undertaken to increase adaptation and emissions reduction strategies, as well as to know more about the opportunities within their sectors that come with climate change. The emphasis will be placed on:

(a) The measures for the adaptability and resilience of the agriculture, agri-food and forestry sectors; including the opportunities and risks associated with climate change in terms of the expansion of farmland, grazing land, and forestry production;

(b) The repercussions of the establishment of carbon pricing mechanisms on the competitiveness of stakeholders in the agriculture, agri-food and forestry sectors;

(c) The role that the federal, provincial and territorial governments can play in meeting the target for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions; and

That the committee submit its final report to the Senate no later than June 30, 2018, and that the committee retain all powers necessary to publicize its findings until 180 days after the tabling of the final report.

After debate,

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

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SUMMARY OF BUDGET

The above budget was approved by the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry on Thursday, June 8, 2017.

The undersigned or an alternate will be in attendance on the date that this budget is considered.

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APPENDIX (B) TO THE REPORT

Thursday, June 15, 2017

The Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration has examined the budget presented to it by the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry for the proposed expenditures of the said committee for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2018, for the purpose of its special study on the potential impact of the effects of climate change on the agriculture, agri-food and forestry sectors, as authorized by the Senate on Thursday, March 9, 2017. The approved budget is as follows:

(includes funds for public hearings and a fact-finding mission; includes funds for 15 senators to travel)

The budgets approved by the Senate for each travel activity are the maximum amount that can be spent for that activity;

Budgets normally include funds for the full membership of the committee to travel;

In general, a reduced delegation actually travels and efforts are made to find additional savings;

Therefore, actual expenditures are expected to be considerably below the approved budget, and they will be reported to the Senate;

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In keeping with the claw back process that is already in effect, any unexpended funds allocated in this budget for travel will be returned to the central committees’ budget at the end of October 2017, to ensure that funds are not tied up unnecessarily. These funds will be made available for redistribution to all committees for travel in the Fall of 2017, upon application to the Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration.

Any surplus funds remaining at the conclusion of a travel activity will be clawed-back and can be made available for allocation to committees for other activities.

Respectfully submitted,