THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

OTTAWA, Tuesday, October 21, 2025
(6)

[English]

The Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry met this day at 6:31 p.m., in room B45, Senate of Canada Building, the chair, the Honourable Robert Black, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Black, Martin, McBean, McNair, Muggli, Oudar, Robinson and Varone (8).

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

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, the committee continued its study on the growing issue of wildfires in Canada and the consequential effects that wildfires have on forestry and agriculture industries, as well as rural and Indigenous communities, throughout the country.

WITNESSES:

Métis Nation Saskatchewan:

Brennan Merasty, Minister of Self Determination and Self Government and Justice;

Richard Quintal, Chief Executive Officer.

Manitoba Métis Federation:

David Beaudin, Minister of Agriculture (by videoconference).

First Nations' Emergency Services Society of British Columbia:

Francyne Joe, Executive Director;

Matt Nelson, Integrated Fuel Management Supervisor.

Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre:

Elisa Binon, Data Coordinator for North America, the Caribbean, Europe and Central Asia, Global Monitoring (by videoconference).

Salvation Army:

Major Rick Zelinsky, Director of Public Affairs and Emergency Disaster Services (by videoconference);

Tracy Desjarlais, Indigenous Liaison for Emergency Disaster Services (by videoconference).

Brennan Merasty and David Beaudin each made a statement and answered questions.

Francyne Joe and Matt Nelson made a statement together and answered questions.

At 7:30 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 7:34 p.m., the committee resumed.

Elisa Binon made a statement and answered questions.

Major Rick Zelinsky and Tracy Desjarlais made a statement together and answered questions.

At 8:11 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Catlin Seibel-Kamél

Clerk of the Committee