Two leaders of Canada’s supply managed sectors have rejected federal agriculture minister Chuck Strahl’s suggestion that they are working against their own interests by limiting the ability of Canadian trade negotiators to try to minimize the damage a new international trade deal could do to their sector.
“It’s unfortunate that the minister would talk like that,” said Canadian Egg Marketing Agency chair Laurent Souligny.
What has tied the hands of the government, he said, is a unanimous motion passed in the House of Commons on Nov. 22, 2005, that prohibits Canada from accepting any weakening of supply management protections.
“That is not an SM5 (supply management) motion,” said Souligny.
“And I don’t think the government has its hands tied. They are there to negotiate the best deal for supply management and Canadian agriculture. That is their job and they should deliver on that.”
Strahl has asked supply management leaders to free the government from an obligation that it accept no weakening of supply management protections in a new World Trade Organization deal.
He said that by forcing the government to adhere to the Commons vote, Canada is being left out of negotiations on protection reductions.
Last week, supply management leaders said Strahl was trying to deflect attention from the government obligation to protect the system.
David Fuller, chair of Chicken Farmers of Canada, said the government has an obligation to follow the unanimous House vote.
“We expect the government will negotiate on behalf of Canada on all aspects of agriculture to deliver what they need to deliver on,” said the Nova Scotia farmer.
“The motion talked about a result. The government has to negotiate to deliver on that result. That is what the government of Canada needs to do. It is not our motion. We are not at the table negotiating.”
The motion does not say the government cannot negotiate, he said. Instead, it says the government must achieve a specified result – no compromise on supply management protections.
“That is their obligation. That is their motion.”
Souligny agreed.
“They are blaming the SM5 for not giving them the opportunity to negotiate,” he said. “I don’t buy that.”
They can negotiate but not accept any deal that undermines the supply management system through lower overquota tariffs or higher tariff rate quota import levels.
“They are there to negotiate the best deal they can and to say they cannot negotiate, I don’t buy that,” said the eastern Ontario egg producer.