Eric La Flèche made a statement and answered questions.

Alistair MacGregor gave notice of the following motion:

That given the recent opposed votes in the House of Commons to Supplementary Estimates (B), specifically vote 1b in the amount of $16,108,492, vote 5b in the amount of $11,383,559, and vote 10b in the amount of $34,211,000 for the Department of Agriculture and Agri-food, and vote 1b in the amount of $19,763,134 for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency; the committee undertake a study to examine the effect negative votes on these supplementary estimates would have had on food safety, market access, and on farmers, ranchers, and producers; that the Parliamentary Budget Officer be included as a witness to provide analysis of these effects; that the committee report its findings to the House; and, pursuant to Standing Order 109, the government table a comprehensive response to the report.

Questioning of Eric La Flèche resumed.

At 4:28 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 4:37 p.m., the sitting resumed.

Patrice Léger Bourgoin, Ron Lemaire and Jim Stanford made statements and, with Catherine Lessard, answered questions.

Warren Steinley gave notice of the following motion:

Given Canada’s Territories have disproportionately higher food prices due to transportation costs and that the Carbon Tax makes everything more expensive and that the Premier of the Northwest Territories has requested a complete exemption from the Carbon Tax for his jurisdiction; the committee call on the government to immediately carve out the Northwest Territories from the Carbon Tax to bring home lower food prices.

Questioning of Patrice Léger Bourgoin, Ron Lemaire, Jim Stanford and Catherine Lessard resumed.