The House of Commons agriculture committee will hear from witnesses on the China-Canada canola issue no later than April 5.
At an emergency meeting today, the Liberal majority blocked an attempt by opposition members to have the agriculture and international trade ministers appear, saying they were already going to be before the international trade committee on April 2.
Instead, they put forward a motion to have Canadian Food Inspection Agency and industry officials appear at the agriculture committee and used their majority to pass it.
Committee chair Pat Finnigan said he and the clerk would work to have the meeting sooner than April 5 if witnesses were available.
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Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau and International Trade Minister Jim Carr are in Saskatoon meeting with the provincial government and industry officials.
The province has asked Ottawa to bump up the ceiling on the Advance Payment Program to $1 million, make the full amount interest free until the trade issue is resolved and roll any outstanding arrears into the new limit. The province also asked that the program application deadline be extended from March 31 to April 30.
China has blocked imports of Canadian canola by both Richardson International and Viterra after Canada detained a Huawei executive under an extradition treaty with the United States.
Contact karen.briere@producer.com
