Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Agriculture and Forestry

Issue No. 2 - Minutes of Proceedings - Meeting of February 18, 2016

OTTAWA, Thursday, February 18, 2016
(5)

[English]

The Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry met this day at 8 a.m., in room 2, Victoria Building.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Beyak, Dagenais, Maltais, McIntyre, Mercer, Merchant, Moore, Ogilvie, Oh, Plett and Unger (11).

In attendance: Aïcha Coulibaly and Khamla Heminthavong, Analysts, Parliamentary Information and Research Services, Library of Parliament.

Also present: The official reporters of the Senate.

The acting clerk informed the committee of the unavoidable absence of the chair and deputy chair and presided over the election of an acting chair.

The Honourable Senator Dagenais moved:

That the Honourable Senator Plett be the acting chair.

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

The acting chair took the chair.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, January 28, 2016, the committee continued its study on international market access priorities for the Canadian agricultural and agri-food sector. (For complete text of the order of reference, see proceedings of the committee, Issue No. 1.)

WITNESSES:

Canadian Poultry and Egg Processors Council:

Robin Horel, President and CEO.

Further Poultry Processors Association of Canada:

Robert DeValk, Executive Director;

Ian Hesketh, Vice-Chair.

Canadian Meat Council:

James Laws, Executive Director.

Maple Leaf Consumer Foods:

Troy Warren, Vice President - Business Optimization - Red Meats.

Mr. Horel and Mr. DeValk made statements, and together with Mr. Hesketh, answered questions.

At 8:55 a.m., the committee suspended.

At 8:59 a.m., the committee resumed.

Mr. Laws and Mr. Warren made statements and answered questions.

The Honourable Senator Mercer moved:

That Senator Plett serve as acting chair in the absence of the chair and deputy chair at the meetings of the committee on Tuesday, February 23, 2016 and Thursday, February 25, 2016.

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

At 10:02 a.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Kevin Pittman

Clerk of the Committee

Mark Palmer

Acting Clerk of the Committee