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.
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MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
Meeting No. 48
Thursday, October 8, 1998
The Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food met at 9:12 a.m., this day, in Room 269, West Block, the Chair, John Harvard, presiding.
Members of the Committee present: Hélène Alarie, Rick Borotsik, Garry Breitkreuz, Murray Calder, Denis Coderre, John Harvard, Howard Hilstrom, Jake Hoeppner, Larry McCormick, Joe McGuire, Denis Paradis, Dick Proctor and Rose-Marie Ur.
Acting Members present: Réjean Lefebvre for Odina Desrochers, Stan Keyes for Paul Bonwick, Jean Augustine for Paul Steckle, Bernard Patry for Rose-Mary Ur, Marlene Catterall for Denis Paradis and Marlene Catterall for Paul Bonwick.
In attendance: From the Library of Parliament: Frédéric Forge, Researcher and Jean-Denis Fréchette, Economist.
Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the Committee proceeded to examine its future business. (See Minutes of the Committee, dated Oct. 6, 1998, Meeting No. 47).
By unanimous consent, Hélène Alarie moved, - That, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency officials accountable for the eradication of the sheep scrapie file, be summoned before this Committee, to keep us aware of the most recent information in this constant evolving topic.
After debate, it was agreed, - That, the next meeting of the Committee, on October 20, 1998, be on SCRAPIE, for the full two hours and that the Officials of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency be invited to appear.
By unanimous consent, it was agreed, - That, the motion on notice from the last Committee's meeting by Howard Hilstrom, regarding the unilateral blockade of Canadian Livestock and grain by a number of US States, be withdrawn.
Howard Hilstrom moved, - That, this Committee study and report back to the House of Commons on the development and implementation of an early-warning system to anticipate and deal with unilateral trade actions before they become a crisis.
After debate, it was agreed, - That, the motion be withdrawn.
Howard Hilstrom moved, - That, this Committee study and report to the House on the upcoming crisis in farms incomes due to the world-wide collapse of commodity prices. The Committee should also review and report to the Government, potential solutions to the crisis.
Debate arose thereon.
Larry McCormick moved, - That, the debate on the motion be adjourned until the next meeting of the Committee.
The question being put on the motion, it was agreed to, on a show of hands, on a count of 7 for and 6 against.
It was agreed, - That, a Sub-Committee on Agenda and Procedure be struck and that it be comprised of nine (9) members, the Chairman, the Vice-Chair from the Government side, the Parliamentary Secretary and two committee members from the Government side and from the Opposition side, the Vice-Chair from the Reform Party, a representative from the Bloc, a representative from the NDP and a representative from the Conservatives.
It was agreed, - That, the two members of the Sub-Committee from the government side shall be Denis Coderre and Larry McCormick.
It was agreed, on a motion of Jake Hoeppner, - That, any item of business can be proposed to the Committee for consideration, provided that it has the support of the majority of the Committee's members, otherwise the item will be considered on notice, for forty-eight (48) hours, before it can be considered by the Committee.
It was agreed, - That, the Chair be authorized to hold meetings to receive evidence when a quorum is not present, with at least three (3) members present, provided that one of them is from the opposition.
It was agreed, - That, the request for a budget for witness expenses for the "Take Note" Hearings be considered at the next meeting of the Committee.
At 10:49 a.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.
Georges Etoka
Clerk of the Committee