All agricultural commodities should have voluntary marketing systems
rather than compulsory marketing boards, Canadian Alliance agriculture
critic Howard Hilstrom said in the House of Commons Nov. 6.
It has been party policy for years, the Manitoba cattle producer said
during a Commons debate on the Canadian Wheat Board.
“The Canadian Alliance policy since 1989 very clearly has been to have
a voluntary marketing system in all agricultural commodities,” he said.
But during the 2000 election, the Alliance and Hilstrom campaigned for
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Ontario agricultural seats by proclaiming themselves in favour of
supply management, with its compulsory marketing schemes.
In October 2000, Hilstrom travelled to an Ontario Federation of
Agriculture board meeting to assure them the Alliance was onside.
“There is no way after that meeting that they can tell their farmers
the Canadian Alliance is against supply management,” Hilstrom said
later.
Now, in a Nov. 8 interview after his House of Commons call for an end
to compulsory marketing systems, Hilstrom said the party position is
that supply management cannot resist world pressures for freer trade,
more open borders and less protection.
“Our policy isn’t that there be supply management forever,” said the
MP. “It’s difficult to say you believe in trade and exports and then
say we can’t include dairy or whatever.
“What I’m saying is change will happen and supply management sectors
over who knows what, 15 years, will slowly inch more and more into the
world trade system.”
