Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Agriculture and Forestry

Issue No. 4 - Minutes of Proceedings - Meeting of March 10, 2016

OTTAWA, Thursday, March 10, 2016
(9)

[English]

The Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry met this day at 8:02 a.m., in room 2, Victoria Building, the chair, the Honourable Ghislain Maltais, presiding.

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

In attendance: Aïcha Coulibaly, Analyst, Parliamentary Information and Research Services, Library of Parliament.

Also present: The official reporters of the Senate.

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:

Quebec Association of Blueberry Producers:

Marc Larouche, President.

Fruit d'Or:

Martin Lemoine, President.

Fédération des producteurs acéricoles du Québec:

Simon Trépanier, Director General.

Les Producteurs de lait du Québec:

Alain Bourbeau, Director General.

Fédération des Producteurs d'oeufs du Québec:

Serge Lebeau, Secretary;

Emmanuel Destrijker, Member of the Board of Directors.

The chair made a statement.

Mr. Larouche, Mr. Lemoine and Mr. Trépanier made statements and answered questions.

At 9:08 a.m., the committee suspended.

At 9:13 a.m., the committee resumed.

Mr. Lebeau and Mr. Bourbeau made statements and, together with Mr. Destrijker, answered questions.

The committee considered a draft budget application.

After debate, it was agreed:

That the following budget application (on matters pertaining to the international market access priorities for the Canadian agricultural and agri-good sector) for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2017, in the amount of $401,236 be approved for submission to the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration.

Summary of Expenditures

Activity 1:
Calgary, Alberta $ 100,188

Activity 2:
Beijing and Shanghai, China $ 301,048

TOTAL $ 401,236

At 10:07 a.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Kevin Pittman

Clerk of the Committee