THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY
EVIDENCE
OTTAWA, Thursday, June 26, 2025
The Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry met this day at 9 a.m. [ET], pursuant to rule 12-13 of the Rules of the Senate, to organize the activities of the committee.
[English]
Caroline Woodward, Acting Clerk of the Committee: Honourable senators, as clerk of your committee, it is my duty to preside over the election of the chair. I am ready to receive motions to that effect. Are there any nominations?
Senator McNair: I move that the Honourable Senator Robert Black be the chair of this committee.
Ms. Woodward: Are there any other nominations?
Seeing none, it is moved by the Honourable Senator McNair that the Honourable Senator Black do take the chair of this committee. Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
Ms. Woodward: I declare the motion carried.
Senator Robert Black (Chair) in the chair.
Senator Miville-Dechêne: We will do the rest in French.
The Chair: The rest in French? I apologize. That’s not going to happen.
Senator Miville-Dechêne: It was a joke, but I hope your classes are going well.
The Chair: Thank you, folks. Thank you for your trust in me. I’m looking forward to this committee, and the work we do. We do great work. We did great work in the last Parliament, and I think we had some fun, too, so thanks very much for your participation in it.
We do have a full committee although many of the folks can’t be here today. Great to have those who are here in attendance.
We now proceed to the election of deputy chair. I am ready to receive motions to that direction. Are there any nominations?
[Translation]
Senator McBean: I move that the Honourable Senator McNair be elected deputy chair of the committee.
The Chair: Thank you.
[English]
Are there any further nominations?
The Honourable Senator McBean moved that the Honourable Senator John McNair be deputy chair of this committee.
Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: I declare the motion carried.
Now, we have routine motions to adopt.
First, I want to thank Caroline Woodward for acting as clerk this week. Mr. St. Martin is normally our clerk, but he is away this week, attending another function outside the precinct. Thank you, Ms. Woodward for being here.
With respect to motion 3 on the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure, do I have a mover for motion 3?
Senator McNair: I have an amendment to motion 3.
The Chair: Let’s hear it and see what the will of the people is.
Senator McNair: I propose we replace the words “be empowered to make decisions upon on behalf of” with the words “be responsible for considering and consulting with” which I think more accurately describes the role of the subcommittee.
The amended version would read:
That the Subcommittee be responsible for considering and consulting with the committee with respect to its agenda, to invite witnesses and to schedule hearings.
I think that more accurately reflects what the subcommittee does and the practice of this larger committee. I think the words “empowered to make decisions on behalf of the committee” give the wrong impression and connotation.
The Chair: Is there any discussion on the motion?
[Translation]
Senator Miville-Dechêne: I strongly support the change in language because, although committees work collegially 95% of the time or more, it’s important to be able to do this in difficult or controversial situations, when opinions are divided. It happens. That’s politics. Being able to come back to the committee in a more systematic way in order to have a discussion is important.
It is true that having a steering committee that makes what I would call more routine decisions is crucial and very useful, but when tensions arise and more political issues come into play, we all need to be able to have a discussion on how to move forward. Everyone knows that agriculture isn’t immune to those situations. Just because we are talking about agricultural matters doesn’t mean we all agree.
[English]
The Chair: Any other thoughts or comments?
Senator McNair: Mr. Chair, I probably should have said this is also consistent with rule 12-12(6) of the Senate Rules, which says that the subcommittee shall report to the committee that appointed it so it reflects the rule.
The Chair: Thank you.
The Honourable Senator McNair has moved an amendment to the motion as follows:
That the subcommittee be responsible for considering and consulting with the committee with respect to its agenda, to invite witnesses and to schedule hearings.
All in favour?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Carried. We move to motion 3.
The motion is:
That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be composed of the chair, the deputy chair and two other members of the committee, to be designated after the usual consultations; and
That the subcommittee be responsible for considering and consulting with the committee with respect to its agenda to invite witnesses and to schedule hearings.
All in favour? Carried.
Next is a motion that two additional members be appointed to the subcommittee. Do we have those names from the other two groups?
Senator Muggli: I am the representative for the Progressive Senate Group.
The Chair: Senator Muggli is one. Who is here from the Conservatives? David Richards, I think.
This is for the two other steering committee members as Senators Richards and Muggli. Are we okay with that? All in favour? Not sure if we had to vote, but go ahead.
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Carried.
Do I have a mover for motion 4 to publish the committee’s proceedings?
Senator Richards moves:
That the committee publish its proceedings.
Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Carried.
Do I have a mover for motion 5 related to research staff?
The Honourable Senator Muggli moved:
That the committee ask the Library of Parliament to assign analysts to the committee;
That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be authorized to retain the services of experts as may be required by the work of the committee; and
That the chair, on behalf of the committee, direct the research staff in the preparation of studies, analyses, summaries, and draft reports.
is that motion carried?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Carried. Thank you.
Now, I would like to introduce to the committee to Ms. Joanne Markle LaMontagne. Welcome, Ms. Markle LaMontagne. Just so you know, she is an analyst in research and education at the Library of Parliament. Since joining the Library of Parliament in 2020, Ms. Markle LaMontagne has supported the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry. Ms. Markle LaMontagne is also an adviser to the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas, and previously, she worked in the private sector for animal health pharmaceutical companies and taught at various colleges and universities. She holds a PhD in Hispanic linguistics at the University of Toronto. I learned some things there. Thanks, Joanne. It’s great to have you with us, and I’m looking forward to working with you.
Motion 6 is the authority to commit funds and certify accounts. Do I have a mover for motion 6, which states:
That, pursuant to section 6(1), chapter 3:05 of the Senate Administrative Rules, authority to commit funds be conferred individually on the chair, the deputy chair, and the clerk of the committee;
That, pursuant to section 7(1), chapter 3:05 of the Senate Administrative Rules, authority for certifying accounts payable by the committee be conferred individually on the chair, the deputy chair, and the clerk of the committee; and
That, notwithstanding the foregoing, in cases related to consultants and personnel services, the authority to commit funds and certify accounts be conferred jointly on the chair and deputy chair.
Is that motion — Senator McBean. All in favour? I declare the motion carried.
Motion 7 is around travel:
That the committee empower the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure to designate, as required, one or more members of the committee and/or such staff as may be necessary to travel on assignment on behalf of the committee.
A mover for that? Senator Robinson. All in favour? Carried. Thank you.
Motion 8 is the designation of members travelling on committee business:
That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be authorized to:
1) determine whether any member of the committee is on “official business” for the purposes of paragraph 8(3)(a) of the Senators Attendance Policy, published in the Journals of the Senate on Wednesday, June 3, 1998; and
2) consider any member of the committee to be on “official business” if that member is: (a) attending an event or meeting related to the work of the committee; or (b) making a presentation related to the work of the committee; and
That the subcommittee report at the earliest opportunity any decisions taken with respect to the designation of members of the committee travelling on committee business.
A mover for that? Senator Richards. Is the motion carried? Carried.
Now motion 9, around witness expenses:
That, pursuant to the Senate guidelines for witness expenses, the committee may reimburse reasonable expenses related to the appearance of one witness per organization upon application, but that the chair be authorized to approve expenses of a second witness from the same organization should there be exceptional circumstances.
A mover for that? Senator Burey. Is the motion carried? I declare the motion carried.
Motion 10 is around communications:
That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be empowered to direct communications officer(s) assigned to the committee in the development of communications plans and products where appropriate and to request the services of the Senate Communications, Broadcasting and Publications Directorate for the purposes of the promotion of their work; and
That the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure be empowered to allow coverage by electronic media of the committee’s public proceedings with the least possible disruption of its proceedings, at its discretion.
Is that motion carried?
Senator Muggli: You need a mover.
The Chair: A mover. Thank you, Senator Muggli. Carried? The motion is carried.
The Communications officer assigned to the committee is Monica Granados. Is Ms. Granados here? I have some information about Ms. Granados as well. She is the Communications officer for this committee. She joined the Senate in late September 2024. Ms. Granados brings extensive experience in parliamentary affairs, media relations and government communications along with a strong background in government relations from the private sector, specifically the Canadian Pork Council. What a great committee to be involved in. Welcome, Ms. Granados.
Hon. Senators: Hear, hear.
The Chair: Great to have you with us.
Senator Miville-Dechêne: If you need, at any point during this year, a French speaker on the communications side, please ask me. I won’t — I know you are deputy chair, but sometimes it is useful to have both languages.
The Chair: Thank you. Colleagues, this brings us to the final item before adjournment, which is other business. So with respect to time slots for regular meetings — this is for information — I don’t believe our time slots have changed: Tuesdays 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and Thursdays 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., and we will inform you through the clerk if there are any changes.
Senator McBean: I believe the Thursday one will be earlier, right? Now that the Senate sits at 1:30, the committees all moved earlier? So my understanding —
Senator Burey: It’s not finalized yet.
The Chair: It will be reviewed over the summer, and any changes will be made — I know that we sat 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the last Parliament and still started at 1:30 p.m. Thank you for that. We will inform you of any changes. Is there any further business?
Senator McNair: Mr. Chair, a question. Procedurally, when Parliament dissolved, we were in the middle of a wildfire study. How do we reactivate that? What are the steps, from your perspective?
Ms. Woodward: The steps would be to seek a new order of reference for that study, and then as part of the order of reference, there is language to refer the papers and work accomplished in the previous Parliament.
Senator McNair: So we essentially adopt the testimony that we have heard so far?
Ms. Woodward: Correct.
Senator Miville-Dechêne: But we have to go through the Senate.
Ms. Woodward: Yes, you do.
Senator Miville-Dechêne: We have to have a vote in the Senate.
Ms. Woodward: It is by motion in the Senate, as you would for seeking any order of reference.
The Chair: I expect over the summer we will work with Mr. St. Martin to develop two orders of reference, then, am I correct? One for that and one for the general order of this committee, which we could then have ready, I would expect, early in the September sitting.
Ms. Woodward: Yes.
The Chair: Fair enough. My question to you, then, is, what can — we were in the midst of a report, and we may, in fact, want other witnesses or whatever, but can that report be worked on now?
Ms. Woodward: Unfortunately not, because you don’t have an order of reference.
The Chair: That’s unfortunate. We’re missing out on a summer of — timing. Okay. Can’t do it. Officially.
Senator Miville-Dechêne: Can we think about topics this summer? Can we look ahead?
The Chair: I was going to suggest that the steering committee will get together over the next few weeks and identify the next steps. One of them, I can assure you, will be to ask you what topics you might like to study under the issues area of agriculture and forestry, knowing that there will be bills coming our way as well. We always seek suggestions, and we will look at those and consolidate as may be necessary, and we will bring it back to an early meeting of this committee. The steering committee will also work on a work plan that might reflect that as well. So we have got some work ahead of us, the four of us.
Senator Richards: Weren’t we doing a study on the health of soil?
The Chair: That was done. That was completed.
Senator Richards: That was done. I didn’t know that was done. Sorry.
The Chair: But we didn’t hear back from the government on their response, so I suspect that’s another order of reference.
Ms. Woodward: Yes.
The Chair: So there will probably be three.
Senator Robinson: Is there no way we can squeak a request through for an order of reference today? Totally impossible? Not at all possible? I don’t know. Only government business? Okay.
The Chair: Right.
An Hon. Senator: [Technical difficulties]
The Chair: Unfortunate. Because we have a report that I would say is partly done. Anyway, rules are rules, right?
So we will be coming back to you, seeking some ideas. We will meet, the four of us, over the summer, via Zoom or something, and maybe more than once, and identify next steps and a work plan and things like that.
Any further business that I’m forgetting? Looking around the room. Last words? Senator McNair, as the deputy?
Senator McNair: Great job as the chair.
The Chair: So, folks, this brings us to the end of the meeting. I want to thank each of you for your participation. I do want to thank the folks behind us, interpreters and the support staff behind us, and our colleagues in the room as well. Thanks very much, folks. This meeting is adjourned.
(The committee adjourned.)