MONTREAL – Despite unease from some delegates, Dairy Farmers of Canada
has endorsed the idea that trade negotiators should incorporate
environmental and social issues into trade agreements.
The proposal from Quebec that DFC “seek to raise the profile of social
and environmental concerns” during World Trade Organization talks at
first raised some concern from delegates who worried that it sounded
too much like the European “multifunctionality” model, seen by many as
a new form of subsidy and protectionism.
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It was designed as a way for the European Union and Japanese
governments to pay farmers for producing such non-food goods as a
well-manicured countryside or a vibrant rural culture.
“DFC policy is to oppose multifunctionality,” said Bruce Saunders from
Holland Centre, Ont.
“This sounds like multifunctionality.”
Stan Van Keulen from Surrey, B.C., where environmental rules threaten
to become costly limitations for farmers, questioned whether the farm
group should be pronouncing on social and environmental issues.
“What is DFC social policy?”
But in the end, the Quebec proposal was accepted.
Marcel Groleau of Thetford Mines, Que., described it as a defensive
measure and not as all encompassing as the European model.
He said Canada has strong environmental rules for farmers. Canadian
negotiators should try to make sure that other countries with lower
rules cannot provide unfair competition by selling products produced
with no concern for the environment.
He said foreign farmers who do not have to worry about waste management
or water pollution can produce and sell food more cheaply than Canada.
“In Canada, we have to live by the policies,” he said.
“We have to make sure other countries live by the same standards.”
Traditionally, Canadian government and farm leaders have tried to avoid
incorporating environmental or social issues into trade policy because
they see it as a way other countries can subsidize their farmers or
erect non-tariff trade barriers against imports.
However, DFC policy calls for a committee on trade and environment to
become a permanent part of the WTO.
And to prevent environmental rules from becoming a new form of trade
barrier, the DFC policy recommends: “Clear WTO rules should be
developed to prevent misuse in the cause of protectionism.”
Quebec wanted that policy deleted, but was unsuccessful.
