Serge Cormier made a statement and answered questions.

At 9:20 a.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 9:25 a.m., the sitting resumed.

Brent Mansfield, Carl Nabein and Shawn MacKeigan made statements and answered questions.

Tracy Gray moved, — Given that;

a. Food insecurity is a serious and growing issue in Canada;

b. In Toronto alone, the Daily Bread Food Bank served 301,354 clients in February 2024, up from 215,848 in February, 2023 and from 52,522 in 2015;

c. All Members of the House should work together to address this issue;

The committee recommend that the House expeditiously pass Bill C-234 unamended in order to exempt farms from the carbon tax and lower the cost of groceries for Canadians.

Debate arose thereon.

The question was put on the motion and it was negatived on the following recorded division:

YEAS: Scott Aitchison, Rosemarie Falk, Tracy Gray, Anna Roberts — 4;

NAYS: Louise Chabot, Chad Collins, Michael Coteau, Peter Fragiskatos, Leah Gazan, Wayne Long, Tony Van Bynen — 7.

Questioning of the witnesses resumed.

ORDERED, — That, pursuant to Standing Order 97(1), the committee request an extension of thirty (30) sitting days for the consideration of Bill C-322, An Act to develop a national framework to establish a school food program, referred to the committee on December 6, 2023, to give the Bill the consideration it requires and that the Chair present this request to the House.