THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
OTTAWA, Thursday, February 12, 2026
(20)
[English]
The Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry met this day at 8:01 a.m., in room B45, Senate of Canada Building, the chair, the Honourable Mary Robinson, presiding.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Burey, Martin, McBean, McNair, Muggli, Robinson and Sorensen (7).
Participating in the meeting: Joanne Markle LaMontagne, Analyst, Library of Parliament.
Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, the committee continued its study on the role of the agriculture and agri-food sector with regard to food security in Canada.
WITNESSES:
Smart Prosperity Institute:
Geoffrey McCarney, Executive Director;
Michael Twigg, Director, Nature Economies.
Greener Village:
Alex Boyd, Chief Executive Officer.
Safe Food Matters Inc.:
Mary Lou McDonald, President and Counsel.
Canadian Centre for Food Integrity:
Lisa Bishop-Spencer, Executive Director;
Ashley Bruner, Director, Research and Stakeholder Engagement (by videoconference).
Canada Organic Trade Association:
Carrie-Anne Palmeri, President of the Board of Directors and Organic Program Manager, Nature’s Path Organic Foods (by videoconference).
As an individual:
Sylvain Charlebois, Professor and Director, Agri-Food Analytics Laboratory, Dalhousie University.
Sylvain Charlebois, Alex Boyd and Geoffrey McCarney each made a statement and, together with Michael Twigg, answered questions.
At 9:01 a.m., the committee suspended.
At 9:07 a.m., the committee resumed.
Mary Lou McDonald, Lisa Bishop-Spencer, Ashley Bruner and Carrie-Anne Palmeri each made a statement and answered questions.
At 10 a.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.
ATTEST:
Caroline Woodward
Clerk of the Committee