37^th Parliament, 2^nd Session
(September 30, 2002 -     )

Edited Hansard • Number 115

Tuesday, June 10, 2003

Questions on the Order Paper

    Mr. Geoff Regan (Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, the following questions will be answered today: Nos. 213, 219, 220, 222 and 224.

[Hansard – Page – 7064]

Question No. 224--

Mr. Garry Breitkreuz:

    With respect to the payment of licencing fees from Canadian Wheat Board pooling accounts contrary to section 7(3) of the Canadian Wheat Board Act: (a) what facts has the Minister Responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board discovered; (b) what corrective action has he taken; (c) what were the results of the investigation by his officials and law officers; and (d) since January 1, 2001, what is the total amount the Canadian Wheat Board has taken from pooling accounts to pay interprovincial and export licensing fees including the administrative and management costs for the national licensing program?

Hon. Ralph Goodale (Minister of Public Works and Government Services, Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians, Lib.):

    This matter was referred to the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) board of directors and their legal counsel.

    Regarding (a), fees or costs associated with the administration of licences fall within the purview of the management of the CWB, which is conducted under the direction of the CWB board of directors. The CWB has indicated for the 2000-01 crop year that export licences issued for grain produced in the designated area amounted to 96% of the total licences issued. The administrative costs of issuing export licences in the 2000-01 crop year amounted to $101,115. Almost all of this expense was incurred with respect to staffing. As such it is an administrative expense of the CWB and may be deducted from proceeds received into the pool accounts per paragraph 33(1)(a) of the act. The CWB's Export Licensing Department handles all aspects of issuing export licences and is composed of two full-time members. Given that most of the export licences are issued in connection with grain produced in the designated area, it would take both staff members to administer those licences alone. Accordingly, there are no incremental costs to the CWB for issuing the relatively small number of licences for grain produced from outside the designated area.

    With respect to subsection 7(3) of the Canadian Wheat Board Act, the CWB argues that this subsection, in fact, deals with losses sustained by the corporation. Subsection 7(3 ) provides that such losses from its operations in relation to any pool period relating to interprovincial and export marketing of wheat by the CWB, and from other operations, for which no other provision is made under the act, shall be paid out of moneys provided by Parliament. Given that there are no incremental administrative costs regarding grain from the non-designated area, there are no losses sustained by the CWB from administering these export licenses.

    Regarding (b), no corrective action was required.

    With respect to (c), the answer to (a) above describes the facts discovered and the response to (b) above describes the conclusion reached.

    With respect to (d), the administrative costs of issuing export licences in the 2000-2001 crop year amounted to $101,115.

 (1015)  

    Mr. Geoff Regan: Mr. Speaker, I ask that the remaining questions be allowed to stand.