All-party support mutes impact of supply management in election, despite political sniping

Despite concessions in successive trade deals on access to Canada's supply-managed dairy sector, cross-party support means it is unlikely to be a decisive ballot box issue in crucial rural ridings in Ontario and Quebec. All five major political parties have pledged their backing for the supply management system, with the Liberal government committing not to grant any further concessions in future trade deals. The dairy sector has vocally opposed the increased dairy access given in three successive trade agreements—the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) with the European Union, the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) with other Pacific Rim nations, and the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA). Alexandre Rivard, who has researched public support for the supply management system, said historically, supply management hasn't played a large role in elections as it has the support of all major parties. “Voters have consistently been getting signals from the major parties that the supply management policy is staying and it is staying particularly because the parties claim that it protects farmers and producers in the areas that it applies to,” said Mr. Rivard, a University of British Columbia political science PhD candidate. He said the only way he foresees the issue being elevated as a campaign issue is if one party goes after another for not supporting it enough. Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François defended a Bloc candidate who previously wrote in opposition to supply management, saying Jean-Denis Garon's position has evolved. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia “But even then, I don't think that's enough to move the needle for the general public,” Mr. Rivard said, adding the only way the issue doesn't become muted is if the People's Party picks up much more electoral support. People's Party Leader Maxime Bernier campaigned against the system in his unsuccessful bid to become the Conservative leader in 2017. He said public opinion is divided in thirds on supply management—in support, opposition, and those who don't know. He noted that the highest support for supply management is seen in Quebec. The compensation for dairy farmers and processors mutes much of the political backlash when market share concessions are given in trade deals, said Mr. Rivard. “I think that also attracts public opinion because Canadians support farmers and this at least demonstrates to Canadians that the government is willing to support farmers financially,” he said, noting that historically the proponents of the system have argued that one of its benefits is that it doesn't receive government funding. The Bloc Québécois had previously blamed the Liberals for moving too slowly to pass a private member's bill that would ban negotiators from making supply management concessions in future trade pacts. Bill C-216, which was introduced by Bloc incumbent Louis Plamondon (Bécancour-Nicolet-Saurel, Que.), died on the Order Paper at the call of the election. The bill had the support of all Liberal, Bloc, NDP, and Green MPs, as well as 37 Conservative MPs, including all Tory MPs in Quebec. For those Conservative MPs who represent regions with dairy farms, they are unlikely to take a political hit as they largely voted in favour of the bill, Mr. Rivard said. “I don't think this issue is salient enough for Canadians to really be an election issue, but it probably matters more to MPs that know they have ... supply-managed farmers in their ridings,” he said. Before the election call, Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet (Beloeil-Chambly, Que.) said there was much that needed to be passed in Parliament, including on supply management. Bloc incumbent Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay (Saint-Hyacinthe-Bagot, Que.) had tried to quicken the pace that Bill C-216 was studied by the House Committee on International Trade. Ultimately, the bill was reported back to the House more than three months after it was referred to the committee. Mr. Savard-Tremblay told The Hill Times in May that Liberals voted in support for the bill to “embarrass” the Conservatives while at the same time did all they could to ensure the bill didn't receive priority at the committee. He has said that the bill should be passed before Canada embarks on free trade negotiations with the United Kingdom. The Liberal government has said that those talks will begin by this fall. The government has to notify the House 90 days in advance of those trade talks beginning. The U.K. has indicated that it wants increased access to Canada's dairy market. Neither spokespeople for the Liberals nor the Bloc Québécois answered if they would support a similar bill in the next Parliament. The bill was derided by trade experts for limiting the ability of trade negotiators in doing their job. The Bloc has now been on the defensive as one of its candidates has previously written in opposition of supply management. Bloc candidate Jean-Denis Garon, an economist and columnist, had previously called for the abolition of the system in the mid-2010s, according to a Presse Canadienne report. Mr. Blanchet said Mr. Garon's position has changed his mind on the issue and fully backs the party's position. Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said in an Aug. 20 tweet that the Liberals fully supported supply management. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade Mr. Garon, who is running for a seat in Mirabel, Que., did not respond to an interview request. Agriculture Minister and Liberal candidate Marie-Claude Bibeau (Compton-Stanstead, Que.) tweeted on Aug. 20 in response that the Liberals are fully in support of supply management. “Can Blanchet the Bloc say the same? Its candidate Garon is openly against. Citizens have the right to know,” she tweeted in French. Amélie Baillargeon, a spokesperson for the Dairy Processors Association of Canada, said political parties continue to show “strong support” for supply management. “No doubt, parties understand Canadians' desire for a strong food supply chain within Canada. As such, policy commitments that serve to strengthen our country's domestic production will always be welcomed,” she said. She said the Dairy Processors “primary concern” is ensuring that “outstanding compensation commitments made to dairy processors to address the impacts of past trade agreements come to fruition.” Dairy Farmers of Canada spokesperson David Lauer said that the group is calling on the future government to “continue upholding the supply management framework in dairy and the other agricultural sectors that rely on it.” “The supply management system enhances Canada’s food sovereignty and security by ensuring a consistent supply of domestically produced dairy at stable prices,” he said. Pollster Frank Graves, president of Ekos Research, said it is still an issue that can affect the dairy-heavy ridings. Conservative incumbent John Nater represents the riding with the most dairy farms. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade “That's still a very hot issue in those ridings. One that shifts votes and gets people elected or unelected as leader of parties,” he said. The Conservative campaign platform lays out a plan to “respect and defend” supply management and “ensure” that family farmers are “engaged” in trade negotiations and that the agriculture minister will be at the table for future trade talks. The Tories also pledged to finalize compensation in 100 days of forming government for processors who lost market share from CETA and CPTPP concessions and start negotiations on compensation for farmers and processors affected by CUSMA. The Conservatives promised to work with the U.S. to remove limits on powdered milk exports to third countries and to ensure Canadian “quality standards are respected.” The Conservatives hold seven of the 10 federal ridings with the most dairy farms, according to Statistics Canada data. The NDP's platform highlighted that the party will defend supply management in trade negotiations. “Supply management protects our family farms, rural communities and hundreds of thousands of jobs. New Democrats are committed to fully protecting supply management and ensuring reciprocity in all trade negotiations, and supporting our supply managed sectors as they innovate and grow,” the platform outlines. The NDP held five Quebec ridings, which were among the 25 Canadian ridings with the most dairy farms before they were lost to the Bloc Québécois in 2019. nmoss@hilltimes.com The Hill Times Top 25 ridings with most dairy farms MP Party Riding Number of farms reporting dairy cattle and milk production Percentage margin of 2019 victory John Nater Conservative Perth-Wellington, Ont. 613 19.2 Bernard Généreux Conservative Montmagny-L’Islet-Kamouraska-Rivière-du-Loup, Que. 429 9.4 Richard Lehoux Conservative Beauce, Que. 371 10.2 Alain Rayes Conservative Richmond-Arthabaska, Que 368 17.1 Louis Plamondon Bloc Québécois Bécancour-Nicolet-Saurel, Que. 314 38.8 Dave MacKenzie Conservative Oxford, Ont. 313 27.9 Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic-L’Érable, Que. 307 23.4 Marie-Claude Bibeau Liberal Compton-Stanstead, Que. 269 5.4 Steven Blaney Conservative Bellechasse-Les Etchemins-Lévis, Que. 266 27.2 Francis Drouin Liberal Glengarry-Prescott-Russell, Ont. 264 11.6 Ben Lobb Conservative Huron-Bruce, Ont. 251 15.4 Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay Bloc Québécois Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, Que. 228 20.1 Jacques Gourde Conservative Lévis-Lotbinière, Que. 217 19.4 Eric Duncan Conservative Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry, Ont. 214 28.3 Claude DeBellefeuille Bloc Québécois Salaberry-Suroît, Que. 213 18 Tim Louis Liberal Kitchener-Conestoga, Ont 210 0.7 Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe Bloc Québécois Lac-Saint-Jean, Que. 203 18.8 Kristina Michaud Bloc Québécois Avignon-La Mitis-Matane-Matapédia, Que 174 17.5 Yves Perron Bloc Québécois Berthier-Maskinongé, Que. 173 2.6 Alex Ruff Conservative Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound, Ont. 163 16 Lyne Bessette Liberal Brome-Missisquoi, Que. 159 3.8 Maxime Blanchette-Joncas Bloc Québécois Rimouski-Neigette-Témiscouata-Les Basques, Que. 159 9.3 Martin Champoux Bloc Québécois Drummond, Que. 124 27.4 François-Philippe Champagne Liberal Saint-Maurice-Champlain, Que. 124 5.4 Andréanne Larouche Bloc Québécois Shefford, Que. 123 1.4 Source: Statistics Canada

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All-party support mutes impact of supply management in election, despite political sniping

Dairy farming regions are based around Ontario and Quebec, where the Conservatives hold seven of the 10 federal ridings with the most dairy farms.

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