The new chair of the House of Commons agriculture committee says the body has an obligation to help government and agriculture understand implications of changes that have swept the industry.
Prince Edward Island Liberal Joe McGuire, named chair of the committee at its first meeting last week, said it will be studying issues far beyond the government agenda during the next four years.
“These are stressful times in Canadian agriculture with lots of change, great transition and declining subsidies,” McGuire said.
The next few months will be spent dealing with Canadian Wheat Board reform legislation and Agriculture Canada spending estimates. After that, MPs on the committee will be anxious to broaden their scope.
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He said the committee will want to examine the evolution of supply management and Canada’s agricultural preparations for the next trade talks, which begin in 1999.
McGuire is one of nine Liberal MPs on the 16-member committee. For the first time in history, the committee will have MPs from five recognized parties. Reform has three seats, the Bloc QuŽbecois two and the New Democratic Party and the Progressive Conservative Party one each.
McGuire is a school teacher but was born on a mixed P.E.I. farm and represents a riding that includes potato and dairy farms. He served on the agriculture committee from 1988 to 1993.
