These comments are direct quotations from the Hansard
documents.
Grown Cut Flowers
Mr.
Russ Powers (Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale, Lib.): Mr.
Speaker, I respectfully request the opportunity to direct the following
question to the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and
Agri-Food.
Currently the United States government is severely restricting the
importation of Canadian grown cut flowers at the Windsor and Niagara,
Ontario borders. This measure affects producers in my riding alone to the
tune of $1 million a week.
What action is the government taking to alleviate this serious disruption
in trade?
Hon. Wayne Easter (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of
Agriculture and Agri-Food (Rural Development), Lib.): Mr. Speaker, I
thank the hon. member for his question and for his interest on behalf of
the cut flower producers in Canada.
The fact of the matter is that the United States has slowed down the
movement of cut flowers across the border because of its perceived concern
over origin, which should not be a concern at all. The CFIA and USDA met
on October 7 and they will be meeting this Saturday to try to resolve the
issue. We are working on it with the objective of resolving it to the
satisfaction of the cut flower producers.
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