Trudeau M.I.A. in defending supply management

OTTAWA – Following comments made by US President Donald Trump, the NDP is calling on the Liberal government to stand up for Canada’s dairy producers. In a letter sent to the Liberal government, NDP Critic for International Trade, Tracey Ramsey, NDP Critic for Agriculture, Ruth Ellen Brosseau and NDP Deputy Ethics Critic, Karine Trudel called on Justin Trudeau to send the US a clear message and commit to protecting Canada’s supply management system.

“The former Conservative and our current Liberal governments have allowed our supply managed sectors to be slowly chipped away at through trade agreements like CETA and the TPP,” stated Tracey Ramsey. “These concessions have now cleared a path for President Trump’s attacks under the veil of NAFTA renegotiations”.

The NDP has consistently asked the Liberal government to give producers assurances that supply management will be protected going into the renegotiation of NAFTA. The Liberals have been all but silent on their priorities for any future negotiations.

“The Trudeau government must stand up for Canadian workers and Canadian farmers, said Ruth Ellen Brosseau. “This is about more than tariff reductions – this is about the strength of our economy, the health of our industries, the safety of the food we eat and the sustainability of our local family farms.”