These comments are direct quotations from the Hansard
documents.
WTO Negotiations
Ms. Denise Poirier-Rivard
(Châteauguay—Saint-Constant, BQ): Mr. Speaker, the representatives
of farm producers are expressing concern at the Government of Canada's
attitude in its defence of supply management in the negotiations taking
place at the WTO.
In view of the concerns of
the producers over the real intentions of the government, could the
minister reassure them and confirm his intention to vigorously defend the
retention of supply management and order his team of negotiators to do
likewise?
[English]
Hon. Andy Mitchell
(Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Lib.): Mr. Speaker,
absolutely, we support supply management in this country without
reservation. That is the negotiating stance that we took in Geneva last
year. That is the negotiating stance that our negotiations are taking
right now. It is what we will pursue throughout the course of these
negotiations.
[Translation]
Ms. Denise Poirier-Rivard
(Châteauguay—Saint-Constant, BQ): Mr. Speaker, farm producers are
concerned because the government recently backed off somewhat by agreeing
to make supply management negotiable.
Why is the government not
helping farmers by closing its borders to milk byproducts legally entering
Canada duty free?
[English]
Hon. Andy Mitchell
(Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, as I said
in the answer to the previous question, in the broadest sense we are
defending supply management through our negotiations in terms of WTO.
There are other measures
in the interim that we should take. We are launching an appeal under the
CITT. We are taking a look at some labelling issues and some standard
issues. We put in a new monitoring system in respect of those specific
items at the border. We will act as the need to act arises.
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