Moved the adoption of the report.

He said: Honourable senators, the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry is focused on ensuring it’s well positioned to provide a meaningful and well-rounded report on soil health to support Canadian farmers, producers and the world.

With food security, land use, biodiversity and environmental and agricultural health in mind, the committee looks to have a fulsome and in-depth perspective on soil health that will be as beneficial as the previous Senate report has been for nearly 40 years.

In order to do this, the committee finds that it is essential to meet with global counterparts in Rome as a greater opportunity to engage with experts on soil health from around the world. This fact-finding mission originates from an invitation extended to the Agriculture Committee from the deputy director of the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, or UN FAO, to meet many international experts with the organization, which would be impossible to coordinate in a virtual method.

This will involve roundtable discussions as well as a mix of formal and informal meetings that will highlight the importance of global coordination on soil health programs and projects.

Honourable senators, as you know, I’m not one to lay idle, and I keep my schedule booked solid with meetings while also adhering to my responsibilities here in the chamber and in committee. This fact-finding mission will be no different. So to my colleagues travelling with me, we can look forward to a very busy schedule, packed full of meetings, tours and a soil conference as well.

Our Agriculture Committee has had consistent and meaningful discussions around this budgeted option. We understand that this is a large expenditure for Canadians. Soil health, however, is a global problem, and while the committee is working to travel throughout Canada to better understand soil health here, an international perspective will have vast benefits as well. We can learn from other experts, beyond Canada, and from our largest trading partners and allies. As I’ve alluded to earlier, we will also be attending the Global Soil Partnership Plenary Assembly where we’ll engage in meaningful discussions with leading stakeholders and experts on soil from around the world, who can, without a doubt, contribute to our understanding of soil health here in Canada.

Therefore, Madam Speaker, if it’s the will of the chamber, I hope that we can pass the report today so that our diligent committee support staff can begin making arrangements for this travel, expected to take place in mid-July. Thank you, meegwetch.

Thank you for your question, senator. As you well know, when we submit a budget, we have to submit it at the largest possible number. Taking into account the maximum number that could travel as well as the high cost — in this case, the euro is trading high against the Canadian dollar right now, inflating a budget prepared in our currency. As well, travelling in the summer is vastly more expensive, as tourism returns to pre‑pandemic levels. The timing chosen is to guarantee senator attendance at the Global Soil Partnership Soil Plenary Assembly, as well as engaging with integral stakeholders and experts. Unfortunately, these are just a few of the difficulties we’ve had when we put together the budget.

The cost of the accommodations is the maximum that we found. We will look for less expensive accommodations. We’ve also put on a larger dollar for bus travel in case we have to travel from outside the area to get a cheaper rate on accommodation.

I’ve already instructed our clerk to seek out premium economy, if that’s the best way we can go. We were instructed by the Internal Economy Committee what the maximum allotment is, but were asked to please try to do less. So the senators travelling will travel, if we can, on premium economy, unless they choose to upgrade on their own points or dime.