Farmers have presented arguments for and against the supply management bill proposed by the Bloc Québécois to the Liberals as a condition for supporting the minority government.
In exchange for backing the Liberals in non-confidence votes, the Bloc has set an Oct. 29 deadline for passing Bill C-282 into law. The bill passed the Commons in June 2023 and completed second reading in the Senate in April this year. It has been in Senate committee consideration since then.
Bill C-282 aims to ensure that in international trade agreements, the foreign affairs minister cannot commit to increasing the tariff rate quota on imported eggs, dairy, or poultry, or reduce tariffs on these products when imports exceed that quota. This means the government can maintain strict limits on how much of these products can be imported into Canada at a low or zero rate of duty, thereby protecting Canadian farmers from foreign competition….