AGRI Committee Meeting
Notices of Meeting include information about the subject matter to be examined by the committee and date, time and place of the meeting, as well as a list of any witnesses scheduled to appear. The Evidence is the edited and revised transcript of what is said before a committee. The Minutes of Proceedings are the official record of the business conducted by the committee at a sitting.
For an advanced search, use Publication Search tool.
If you have any questions or comments regarding the accessibility of this publication, please contact us at accessible@parl.gc.ca.
Minutes of Proceedings
Liberal
- Jean-Claude Poissant, Parliamentary Secretary — Non-Voting Member
Conservative
Luc Berthold moved, — That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the Committee immediately invite grain producers to provide an urgent update to Committee on systemic issues in Canadian rail transportation and the backlog of grain shipments, given grain farmers are facing costs incurred on unfulfilled orders, and given delays compromise Canada’s competitiveness in export markets; that the Committee invite officials from Canadian Pacific Railway and Canadian National Railway Company to provide an explanation on railway delays and fulfillment performance in order to improve grain shipment along the value chain.
At 1:12 p.m., the sitting was suspended.
At 1:13 p.m., the sitting resumed.
The Committee resumed consideration of the motion of Luc Berthold, — That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the Committee immediately invite grain producers to provide an urgent update to Committee on systemic issues in Canadian rail transportation and the backlog of grain shipments, given grain farmers are facing costs incurred on unfulfilled orders, and given delays compromise Canada’s competitiveness in export markets; that the Committee invite officials from Canadian Pacific Railway and Canadian National Railway Company to provide an explanation on railway delays and fulfillment performance in order to improve grain shipment along the value chain.
The debate continued.
Pierre Breton moved, — That the motion be amended by adding after the word “chain” the following: “, provided that such a meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 21, 2018, representatives from Canadian Pacific Railway and Canadian National Railway Company be invited for the first hour and grain producers be invited for the second hour of the meeting; and that Members of the Committee are invited to send their list of witnesses, including their contact information, to the Clerk of the Committee no later than 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 15, 2018”.
Luc Berthold moved, — That the amendment be amended by replacing the words “Wednesday, March 21, 2018” by the words “Monday, March 19, 2018, for a duration of four hours”.
Debate arose thereon.
At 1:56 p.m., the sitting was suspended.
At 2:03 p.m., the sitting resumed.
By unanimous consent, the subamendment was withdrawn.
By unanimous consent, the amendment was withdrawn.
Pierre Breton moved, — That the motion be amended by adding after the word “chain”, the following: “, provided that such a meeting will be held on Monday, March 19, 2018, for a duration of four hours, and be televised; and that Members of the Committee are invited to send their list of witnesses, including their contact information, to the Clerk of the Committee no later than 5:00 p.m. on Monday, March 12, 2018".
Ruth Ellen Brosseau moved, — That the amendment be amended by adding after the word “televised”, the following: “that the Committee invite the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and the Minister of Transport to appear at their earliest convenience”.
After debate, the question was put on the subamendment of Ruth Ellen Brosseau and it was negatived on the following recorded division:
YEAS: John Barlow, Luc Berthold, Ruth Ellen Brosseau, Randy Hoback — 4;
NAYS: Pierre Breton, Francis Drouin, Lloyd Longfield, Eva Nassif, Joe Peschisolido — 5.
The Committee resumed consideration of the amendment of Pierre Breton, — That the motion be amended by adding after the word “chain”, the following: “, provided that such a meeting will be held on Monday, March 19, 2018, for a duration of four hours, and be televised; and that members of the Committee are invited to send their list of witnesses, including their contact information, to the Clerk of the Committee no later than 5:00 p.m. on Monday, March 12, 2018".
The question was put on the amendment of Pierre Breton and it was agreed to, by a show of hands: YEAS: 7; NAYS: 0.
The Committee resumed consideration of the motion, as amended, of Luc Berthold, — That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the Committee immediately invite grain producers to provide an urgent update to Committee on systemic issues in Canadian rail transportation and the backlog of grain shipments, given grain farmers are facing costs incurred on unfulfilled orders, and given delays compromise Canada’s competitiveness in export markets; that the Committee invite officials from Canadian Pacific Railway and Canadian National Railway Company to provide an explanation on railway delays and fulfillment performance in order to improve grain shipment along the value chain, provided that such a meeting will be held on Monday, March 19, 2018, for a duration of four hours, and be televised; and that members of the Committee are invited to send their list of witnesses, including their contact information, to the Clerk of the Committee no later than 5:00 p.m. on Monday, March 12, 2018.
The question was put on the motion, as amended, and it was agreed to, by a show of hands: YEAS: 7; NAYS: 0.
The motion, as amended, read as follows:
That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the Committee immediately invite grain producers to provide an urgent update to Committee on systemic issues in Canadian rail transportation and the backlog of grain shipments, given grain farmers are facing costs incurred on unfulfilled orders, and given delays compromise Canada’s competitiveness in export markets; that the Committee invite officials from Canadian Pacific Railway and Canadian National Railway Company to provide an explanation on railway delays and fulfillment performance in order to improve grain shipment along the value chain, provided that such a meeting will be held on Monday, March 19, 2018, for a duration of four hours, and be televised; and that members of the Committee are invited to send their list of witnesses, including their contact information, to the Clerk of the Committee no later than 5:00 p.m. on Monday, March 12, 2018.
Ruth Ellen Brosseau moved, — That the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food send a letter to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and the Minister of Transport to request action in relation to systemic issues in Canadian rail transportation and the backlog of grain shipments.
Debate arose thereon.
At 3:01 p.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.