Wayne Easter moved, — That the Chair of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food contact the office of the Minister of Agriculture & Agri-Food, in writing, requesting answers to the following questions:
1. When did the Minister of Agriculture or his department receive the Canadian Wheat Board’s financial statement which he tabled in the House on February 11, 2009? Were those financial statements reviewed by the Minister or officials of his department or any other department prior to their being table and was the Minister provided with a report? ;
2. When did the Minister first contact the CWB concerning the issue of the contingency fund issue which he expressed such concern about on February 11th? ;
3. Did the Minister call upon the Auditor General to examine the issue of the contingency fund issue and if not why not? ;
4. Is the Minister prepared to state in writing that he is questioning the audit of the CWB’s Financial Statements he tabled in the House on February 11, 2009 given that he and members of the government have made public statements drawing that audit and its findings into question? If he has found no fault with the audit will he state that in writing? ;
5. The Minister stated in the House of February 11, 2009 at p. 679 of Hansard referring to western Canadian farmers that “they asked me to point out these flaws” When did these “farmers” contact the Minister, were they members of the CWB Board of Directors? If not did they have access to the CWB financial statements prior to the Minister tabling them in the House? ;
6. When did the Minister of Agriculture & Agri-food meet in person with the full Board of Directors of the Canadian Wheat Board and if he has not, why not?
; and
That the Chair of the Committee request that the response to each of the questions from the office of the Minister be provided to the Clerk of the Committee no later than March 23, 2009.