THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

OTTAWA, Thursday, March 21, 2024
(69)

[English]

The Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry met this day at 9 a.m., in room B45, Senate of Canada Building, the chair, the Honourable Robert Black, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Black, Burey, McNair, Oh, Petitclerc and Simons (6).

Other senators present: The Honourable Senator Robinson (1).

Participating in the meeting: Joanne Markle LaMontagne, Analyst, Library of Parliament.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Friday, April 21, 2023, the committee began its consideration of the government response to the sixth report (interim) of the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, entitled Treading Water: The impact of and response to the 2021 British Columbia floods, tabled in the Senate on October 27, 2022.

WITNESSES:

Indigenous Services Canada:

Paula Hadden-Jokiel, Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Regional Operations Sector;

Robert Bellizzi, Acting Director General, Regional Infrastructure and Delivery Branch, Regional Operations Sector.

Infrastructure Canada:

Gerard Peets, Assistant Deputy Minister, Policy and Results Branch;

Erin Taylor, Director, Adaptation and Resilience.

Public Safety Canada:

Mauricette Howlett, Director General, Programs, Emergency Management and Programs Branch;

Kenza El Bied, Director General, Policy and Outreach, Emergency Management and Programs Branch.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada:

Tom Rosser, Assistant Deputy Minister, Market and Industry Services Branch;

Liz Foster, Assistant Deputy Minister, Programs Branch;

Francesco Del Bianco, Director General, Business Risk Management Programs Directorate.

Paula Hadden-Jokiel, Kenza El Bied and Gerard Peets each made a statement and, together with Robert Bellizzi, Mauricette Howlett and Erin Taylor, answered questions.

At 9:55 a.m., the committee suspended.

At 10:02 a.m., the committee resumed.

Liz Foster made a statement and, together with Tom Rosser, Francesco Del Biance, Mauricette Howlett and Kenza El Bied, answered questions.

At 10:52 a.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Ferda Simpson

Clerk of the Committee