Transcripts & Minutes - Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry (37th Parliament, 1st Session)

Past Session:

CANADIAN FARMERS AT RISK

Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry

INTERIM REPORT

ISSUE NO.	DATE	WITNESSES
34	March 21, 2002	Bell Canada: Bernard Courtois, Chief Strategy Officer Linda Gervais, Vice President, Federal Government Relations SaskTel: Pat Tulloch, General Manager, Marketing
32	February 19, 2001	The Honourable Lyle Vanclief, P.C., M.P., Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada: Samy Watson, Deputy Minister Diane Vincent, Associate Deputy Minister
31	February 14, 2002	The Honourable Ernest Fage, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries – Government of Nova Scotia Eastern Canada Soil and Water Conservation Centre: Jean-Louis Daigle, Director New Brunswick Federation of Agriculture: Paul Vautour, Executive Director Dairy Farmers of Nova Scotia: John C.H. Vissers, President Soil and Crop Improvement Association of Nova Scotia: Andrew McCurdy, President Nova Scotia Agricultural College: Dr. David Percival, Research Professor Dr. Kirsti Rouvinen-Watt, Research Professor
30	February 13, 2002	Nova Scotia Agricultural College: Dr. H. Garth Coffin, Principal Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture: Fraser Hunter, Chair, Industry Planning Committee Laurence Nason, Executive Director Atlantic Canada Organic Regional Network (ACORN): Jennifer Melanson, Director of Administration Fédération des agriculteurs et agricultrices francophones du Nouveau-Brunswick : Paul-Émile Soucy, President Potatoes New Brunswick: Patton MacDonald, Executive Director Aliant Telecom: Alan Buchanan, Director, Government Relations Mike Howard, Senior Government Relations Advisor Nova Scotia Christmas Tree Council: Shawn Lacey, President Len Giffen, Coordinator Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada: Dr. Phil Warman, Chairman Nova Scotia Agricultural College: Dr. Robert Gordon, Professor University of Prince Edward Island – Atlantic Veterinary College: Dr. Tim Ogilvie, Dean Agricultural Development Institute: Heather Anne Grant, Special Projects Researcher Nova Scotia Egg Producers: Ralph De Long, President
29	Decenber 13, 2001	Health Canada: Richard Aucoin, Acting Director, Efficacy and Sustainability Assessment Division, Pest Management Regulatory Agency Government of Saskatchewan, Department of Agriculture and Food : Cameron Wilk, Pesticide Management Specialist, Inspection and Regulatory Management Scott Hartley, Provincial Specialist, Insect and Pest Management Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities: Ken Engel, Executive Director Robert Schultz, Director
28	December 11, 2001	Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation (CRRF): Bruno Jean, President University of Alberta : Peter Apedaile, Professor Emeritus Rural and Small Town Programme, Mount Allison University: David Bruce, Director Centre for Rural Studies and Enrichment, St. Peter’s College: Diane Martz, Director
27	December 6, 2001	Canadian Bankers Association: Terry Campbell, Vice-President, Policy Scotiabank : Bob Funk, Vice-President, Agriculture RBC Royal Bank: Pieter Kleinschmidt, National Director, Agriculture and Agribusiness
26	December 5, 2001	The Honourable Pierre Pettigrew, P.C., M.P., Minister for International Trade Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade: Claude Carrière, Director General, Trade Policy Bureau Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada: Suzanne Vinet, Chief Agriculture Negotiator, International Trade Policy Directorate
25	December 4, 2001	Canadian Farm Women’s Network: Judy Brown, President, Ontario Farm Women’s Network Statistics Canada: Ray Bollman, Chief, Research and Analysis Section
24	November 29, 2001	The Honourable Lyle Vanclief, P.C., M.P., Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada: Samy Watson, Deputy Minister Diane Vincent, Associate Deputy Minister Canadian Food Inspection Agency: Ron Doering, President
23	November 27, 2001	Canadian Farm Business Management Council: Anne Forbes, President Jim Laws, Executive Director
22	November 22, 2001	Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada: Kevin Doyle, Manager, Federal Policy Integration, Rural Secretariat Bob Cumming, Manager, Departmental Coordination, Rural Secretariat Heather Clemenson, Manager, Rural Research and Analysis, Rural Secretariat
21	November 20, 2001	Delegation of the European Commission in Canada: Ambassador Danièle Smadja, Head of the Delegation Philippe Musquar, Counsellor, Economic and Commercial Affairs Fred Kingston, Senior Advisor, Economic and Commercial Affairs
20	November 8, 2001	National Farmers Union: Stewart Wells, Board Member Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan: Ivan Ottenbreit, Vice-President Arlynn Kurtz, Executive Director Greenpeace Canada: Holly Penfound, Campaign Coordinator - Environmental Health Keystone Agricultural Producers: Don Dewar, President Saskatchewan Organic Directorate: Marc Loiselle, Director Council of Canadians: Nadege Adam, Biotechnology Campaigner Canadian Health Coalition: Bradford Duplisea, Health Researcher
19	November 6, 2001	The Honourable Ralph E. Goodale, P.C., M.P., Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board and Minister of Natural Resources Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada: Howard Migie, Director General, Marketing Policy Directorate, Strategic Policy Branch Suzanne Vinet, Chief, Agriculture Negotiator, International Trade Policy Directorate, market and Industry Services Jamie Oxley, Chief, Cross-Sectoral policy Development Division, Strategic Policy Branch Canadian Wheat Board: Brian T. Oleson, Senior Economist
18	November 1, 2001	Solidarité rurale du Québec: Jacques Proulx, President Marie Anne Rainville, Director of Public Affairs
15	October 18, 2001	As individuals: Daryl Knight Murray Downing Andrew Denis
13	October 4, 2001	Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada - Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration: Bernie Ward, Director, Analytical and Communications Service Gerry Luciuk, Director, Land Management and Diversification Service
10	June 7, 2001	Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan: Terry Hildebrandt, President Cecilia Olver, Director
9	May 31, 2001	Association of Manitoba Municipalities: Wayne Motheral, President Joe Masi, Director of Policy and Research Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities: Mr. J. Sinclair Harrison, President Arita Paul, Manager of Agricultural Services
8	May 17, 2001	Federation of Canadian Municipalities: Jack Hayden, Member, National Board of Directors Department of Health Canada: Anthony Chu, Director, Innovation and Investment Division, Office of Health and the Information Highway, Information, Analysis and Connectivity Branch John Wootton, Special Advisor on Rural Health
7	May 8, 2001	Ducks Unlimited Canada: Brian Gray, Director of Conservation Programs; J. Barry Turner, Director of Government Relations
6	May 1, 2001	The Honourable Andy Mitchell, P.C., M.P., Secretary of State (Rural Development) (Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario) Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada: Diane Vincent, Associate Deputy Minister Lynden Johnson, Executive Director, Rural Secretariat
5	April 24, 2001	Farm Credit Corporation: John Ryan, President and Chief Executive Officer Louise Neveu, Executive Vice-President, Chief Knowledge Officer Jacques Lagacé, National Director, Government and Industry Relations Scott Grant, Portfolio Management Officer
4	April 4, 2001	The Honourable Lyle Vanclief, P.C., M.P., Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada: Samy Watson, Deputy Minister Diane Vincent, Associate Deputy Minister Tom Richardson, Director General, Farm Income and Adaptation Policy Directorate, Strategic Policy Branch Suzanne Vinet, Director General, International Trade Policy Directorate
3	April 2, 2001	The Honourable Ralph E. Goodale, P.C., M.P., Minister responsible for Canadian Wheat Board and Minister of Natural Resources Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada: Howard Migie, Director General, Marketing Policy Directorate, Strategic Policy Branch
2	March 29, 2001	Canadian Federation of Agriculture: Bob Friesen, President Jennifer Higginson, Trade Policy Analyst Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade: Claude Carrière, Director General, Trade Policy Bureau I, Chief Negotiator, Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada: Terry Norman, Director, Western Hemisphere Trade Policy Division, International Trade Policy Directorate, Market and Industry Services Branch

APPENDIX B

The Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry’s Fact-Finding visit to Europe
March 9 – 15, 2002

Individuals and organizations with whom the delegation met included:

BRUSSELS

Mission of Canada to the European Union
Directorate General for Agriculture European Commission
Directorate General for Health and Consumer Protection European Commission
Directorate General for Agriculture European Commission
Eurogroup for Animal Welfare
European Landowner’s Organization

STRASBOURG

Mission of Canada to the European Union
Commissioner Fischler (Agriculture and Fisheries)
Members of the European Parliament

NORTHERN IRELAND

Northern Ireland Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Brid Rodgers
Department of Agriculture and Rural Development for Northern Ireland
Agriculture Committee of the Northern Ireland Assembly
Northern Ireland Assembly of Agriculture and Rural Development Committee

The Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry’s Fact-Finding visit to the Maritimes

February 10 – 15, 2002

Individuals and organizations with whom the delegation met included:

FREDERICTON, NEW BRUNSWICK

Maurice Bernier, Deputy Minister Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Aquaculture
Forest Products Commission

SAINT JOHN, NEW BRUNSWICK

Mayor Shirley McAlary, City of Saint John
Shipping Port and Forest Products Terminal
New Brunswick Milk Marketing Board
Dairy Farmers of New Brunswick
Southern New Brunswick Forestry Products Marketing Board
The Fundy Model Forest Program

MONCTON, NEW BRUNSWICK

Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Cavendish Farms

CHARLOTTETOWN, PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

The Honourable Mitch Murphy, Minister of Agriculture
PEI Potato Board

WOLFVILLE, NOVA SCOTIA

Donald Lightfoot and Poultry Producers
Nova Scotia Fruit Growers Association
Nova Scotia Cattleman’s Association
Horticulture Association of Nova Scotia

KENTVILLE, NOVA SCOTIA

Atlantic Food and Horticulture Research Centre

The Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry’s Fact-Finding visit to Washington

July 30 – August 2, 2001

Individuals and organizations with whom the delegation met included:

American Farm Bureau Federation
House Committee on Agriculture
The International Trade Commission:
International Trade Commission
National Cattleman’s Beef Association
National Farmers Union
Office of the U.S. Trade Representative
United States Department of Agriculture
House of Representative Agriculture Committee
Congressional Rural Caucus
American Farmland Trust

APPENDIX C

NEWS RELEASE

The Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry

CANADA NEEDS A NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL POLICY

Ottawa (February 15, 2002) – Canada needs a comprehensive, flexible, national strategy to support and protect farmers, Senator Leonard Gustafson, Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, said today at the conclusion of the Committee’s five-day fact-finding tour of the Maritime Provinces.

“Canada’s agricultural policy is a checkerboard today,” Sen. Gustafson said. “We have policies to address specific farm issues in each region, such as drought, export, disease, pest infestations, transborder transportation and environmental stewardship, but no overall strategy for the country’s agricultural sector that can deal with problems and opportunities on a national level.

“And, from what we have heard, not only in the three Maritime Provinces but from the agriculture industry right across this country, Canada very much needs one. We were looking to see what policies, laws and regulations need to be amended or put in place.”

The Agriculture Committee visited New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia February 11 – 15 and heard from elected and non-elected provincial and municipal officials, industry associations, processors, marketers and other non-government organizations. It also heard presentations from operators of large and small dairy, potato, vegetable and organic farmers and other stakeholders. In addition, the Committee had the opportunity to tour several agricultural research and educational institutions. In all, the Committee received information from 34 witnesses on:

The present state of agriculture in the Maritimes;
Obstacles to the expansion of the industry;
Stakeholder reaction to the national action plan to make Canada the world leader in food safety, innovation and environmental protection that was agreed to by federal, provincial and territorial Ministers of Agriculture;
The impact on agriculture of the 2001 drought in the Maritimes;
Issues related to the international trade of agricultural products; and
The state of agricultural research.

“The people in the Maritimes told us that, while we need national policies to support the agricultural sector, we also need flexibility in those policies,” Sen. Gustafson said. “For example, while Canada needs a national policy on drought relief, we need a policy that can be applied as effectively in Prince Edward Island as it can be applied in Saskatchewan. While many of the problems farmers are encountering are similar across the country, many of the agricultural problems – and the opportunities – are unique, special and different in the Maritime Provinces.

“Additionally, if Canadians want vital rural areas, we need to make sure that more of the money from farm produce stays at the farm gate. Farmers need to make enough money to keep them on their farms. Canada cannot afford to lose any more farmers.”

The Report by the Agriculture Committee is expected in March, 2002.

The Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry comprises Senators Leonard Gustafson (Chair), John Wiebe (Deputy Chair), Michel Biron, Thelma Chalifoux, Joseph Day, Elizabeth Hubley, Marjory LeBreton, Donald Oliver, Gerard Phalen, Terry Stratton, David Tkachuk, and Jim Tunney.

For further information, please contact:

Daniel Charbonneau
Clerk of the Committee
Tel: (613) 991-0719 or 800-267-7362
Fax : (613) 947-2104
Email: afgo@sen.parl.gc.ca

APPENDIX D

Other written submissions received:

Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance
Canadian Bison Association
Canadian Coalition for Agricultural Safety and Rural Health
New Brunswick Pork
Prince Edward Island Federation of Agriculture
Manitoba Chamber of Commerce