Conservatives Receive Vote of Confidence from Supply Management

February 14, 2008

Cornwall – MP Guy Lauzon welcomed the strong show of support for the Conservative Government from Canada’s supply managed industries. In a letter sent to Prime Minster Stephen Harper, the chairmen of Canada’s 5 supply managed sectors thanked the Conservative Government for its strong support of their industry.

“Many of the farmers in Stormont – Dundas – South Glengarry are dependent on Canada’s supply managed sector,” said Lauzon. “Thanks to our Conservative Government’s strong support, they can rest assured that they will have a successful future.”

Unlike previous Liberal Governments, the Conservative Government has worked tirelessly to defend supply management at home and abroad. For the first time ever, support for supply management was included in the Throne Speech; which the Liberals failed to support.

“I am proud to serve as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and work with him to put farmers first,” said Lauzon. “The letter sent by the chairmen of Canada’s 5 supply managed sectors is a testament to the hard work and strong support of our Minister.”

Letter to the Prime Minister

Open Letter: To the Right Honourable Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada and the Honourable Gerry Ritz, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

OTTAWA - As the five chairmen of the national supply-management organizations we would like to clarify our intent and purpose in acknowledging the strong leadership and commitment of the federal government in our open letter dated February 11, 2008.

Over the past two years, the federal government, and in particular, the Honourable Gerry Ritz, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, have repeatedly affirmed the government's strong commitment to stand up for supply management and to defend and deliver on the Canadian position at the WTO negotiations on agriculture. It is unequivocal that Minister Ritz and the Canadian government support producers' goal for maintaining a viable and prosperous supply management system in the dairy, egg and poultry sectors.

The recent announcement made by Minister Ritz with respect to the Government's intention to operationalize the WTO Special Agricultural Safeguards (SSG) for supply-managed goods is yet another important tool that government has activated in support of our industries. At the Dairy Farmers of Canada Policy Conference on Thursday, February 7, 2008 dairy producers expressed their gratitude for the government announcement on the SSG and all producers operating under supply management add their voice of appreciation for this action; that has been a long-standing request of the sectors.

Dairy, poultry and egg producers thank the Minister for his actions taken to date and acknowledge the strong leadership and determination being illustrated through both his statements and actions.

Yours sincerely,
Mark Davies, Chair Canadian Turkey Marketing Agency
Gyslain Loyer, Chair Canadian Hatching Egg Producers
David Fuller, Chair Chicken Farmers of Canada
Jacques Laforge, President Dairy Farmers of Canada
Laurent Souligny, Chair Canadian Egg Marketing Agency