Canada is an attractive trading partner for many nations. Arguing that countries would abandon trade talks simply because we aim to protect our domestic dairy, poultry and egg sectors is unsupported rhetoric.
Comprehensive trade deals are just that — comprehensive. Turning supply management, and the livelihoods of our farmers and rural communities, into a scapegoat does our nation a great disservice.
Trade laws and policies are in place to balance the needs of all sectors, and this is precisely what Bill C-282 aims to accomplish.
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The 1985 farm bill started a series of protectionist measures, such as domestic marketing allotments, import quotas and hightariffs on imports exceeding the quotas.
Canada has negotiated 15 trade deals, and only the last three agreements have required negotiators to concede market access on our domestic supply-managed sectors.
This track record demonstrates that safeguarding supply management does not hinder Canada’s ability to secure beneficial trade deals, nor does it imply that Bill C-282 would hold the entire Canadian economy hostage. Instead, this important bill provides a clear negotiating stance that can expedite other trade talks and yield positive results for a broad range of Canadian sectors.
With geopolitical tensions growing and international supply chain vulnerability fresh in our minds, it is even more important today to shore up Canada’s access to essential food items to feed our growing population, and this is central to the mission of the supply-managed sectors.
Internationally, there is growing recognition that countries must take into account their national circumstances and the need for measures that support farmers and their domestic rural communities. In fact, the World Farmers’ Organization, which brings together farmer organizations and agricultural co-operatives from all over the world, recognizes the role of orderly marketing and supply management in its trade policy.
To put that into perspective, farmers from all over the world have agreed that optimal trade outcomes are achieved by keeping a balance between export-oriented and domestic sectors.
Outside of providing a steady stream of high-quality food, the supply-managed sectors create the equivalent of 339,000 full-time jobs across Canada and contribute $30.1 billion to our gross domestic product as well as $5.95 billion per year in tax revenues. This economic impact is good for everyone.
And with the vast majority of Canada’s nearly 15,000 farms being family-run businesses set in rural locations — versus the large farms we see more and more in the United States — protecting supply management with Bill C-282 is also a direct way to preserve the Canadian way of life.
Farmers believe that all individuals and families should have reliable access to safe and nutritious food. Supply management ensures that Canadians have access to a steady supply of high-quality, locally produced dairy, poultry and egg products, produced right here within our borders by Canadian farmers who follow rigorous standards in animal welfare and food safety.
Let’s keep putting Canadian self-sufficiency first, and take supply management off the table.
David Wiens is president of Dairy Farmers of Canada, Roger Pelissero is chair of Egg Farmers of Canada, Tim Klompmaker is chair of Chicken Farmers of Canada, Darren Ference is chair of Turkey Farmers of Canada and Brian Bilkes is chair of Canadian Hatching Egg Producers.
