Canadian dairy farmers are warning against any concessions involving their sector as trade talks intensify with the United States ahead of President Donald Trump’s tariff deadline.
A new round of 50 per cent tariffs on a range of Canadian goods is set to take effect on Aug. 19. Unlike most of Trump’s other tariffs, these would have no exemptions for goods that comply with the Canada-U.S.-Mexico agreement on trade.
The supply management system that protects Canadian dairy has been cited by the U.S. as a key irritant in trade negotiations and Trump has repeatedly complained about the level of U.S. dairy farmers’ access to Canada’s market.
Dairy Farmers of Canada says it’s urging the federal government not to offer any more concessions on dairy or supply management in talks with the United States.
“Our food sovereignty is not for sale; a bad deal is not worth the cost,” the organization said in a statement to The Canadian Press.
“Canada has already made several concessions in recent months to advance CUSMA review discussions with the U.S. — only to be met each time with fresh demands. It is difficult to see how more concessions would produce a different result.”
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Prime Minister Mark Carney said Thursday his government is “loyal” to the supply management system.
Other trade irritants flagged by the U.S., where American negotiators are pushing for concessions, include the federal government’s “Buy Canadian” procurement policy, quotas on certain U.S. vehicles and provincial bans on sales of U.S. alcohol.
An annual document published by the Office of the United States Trade Representative in March said market access barriers imposed by provincial liquor control boards “greatly hamper” exports of U.S. wine, beer and spirits to Canada.
Several Canadian provinces pulled American booze from shelves last year after Trump imposed tariffs. The document said the U.S. wants its alcohol products to “immediately and permanently” return to all markets.
The office of Quebec’s minister of finance said in a statement Friday that American products will stay off the province’s liquor store shelves until an agreement Quebec considers fair has been negotiated.
“The sale of alcohol falls exclusively under the Quebec government,” the spokesperson said in a French statement. “It’s Quebec, and only Quebec, that will make a decision.”
Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc is leaving Washington Friday after meeting with industry groups and various senators, and is set to return Monday.
Janice Charette, Canada’s chief trade negotiator, is remaining in Washington over the weekend.
Gabriel Brunet, a spokesperson for LeBlanc, said that as detailed trade discussions between the two countries continue, the government “will not comment on specifics.”
“Canada’s objective remains to reach a comprehensive deal that addresses sectoral tariffs and benefits Canadian workers, farmers and businesses,” he said.
— With files from Émilie Bergeron and Alessia Passafiume
We can only hope that Trump will come to the rescue of millions of Canadians held hostage to a communist-style system that protects 10,000 dairy farmers. Good on him!
Nope, if we get to buy alternate beef from other countries then we can have competition from other dairy producers. Treat everyone the same, Marky Mark. No industry is above another one in a united Canada.
I see. Indeed. I understand. Aldjsjakndjdkzjdb91637281)(
Mark you don’t speak for the rest of us. We want more options and more competition. You can continue to buy what you want.
@lw . America has great milk. Go away.
Paula Blackwood
Agreed, The only reason liberals are in power is trudeau and his immigration policy where he let in 400,000 plus every year for how many years? He knew they would vote liberal.
We have one of the safest milk supplies in the world why would we want to change that ?
Elbows Up Carney is an idiot. Lol He campaigned on fighting Trump and kissed the MAGA ring instead. Unbelievable.
CBC is even reporting Carney is making major concessions to an avoid the new tariffs and the old ones will stay on. Carney is a total flop and betrayed Canadians. Mr. Elbows up is a true disgrace.
When the dairy industry can put their “milk” logo on Maple Leafs jerseys, it has too much spare cash floating around. I hate to have it look like giving in to Trump, but its protection has to be cut back.
One last thing. Why do you think trump preferred carney as pm. Now you know.
Looks like Prime Minister CABO ( Carney Always Bends Over ) is dropping the elbows and trying to save more Liberal votes in Quebec as they always do! Canadians will keep paying more for everything while Carney protects his Brookfield portfolio while lying to Canadians that he is a great negotiator! We are doomed with no chance to come back even by some miracle that the fringe liberal voters wake up to this disastrous government!
Carney has already begun to fold. How far he bends over is the question.
@incontinenta canada cannot impose safety regulations on usa milk. That would be a illegal trade barrier we would be forced to drink the hormones and antibiotics in there milk
Did you know with Supply Management the cost of a quota for ONE dairy cow is between $30,000 and $50,000. That prevents small and medium farmers from competing against the dairy cartels.
Canada has dairy tariffs against the USA but not Europe. That’s illegal. Trump won’t back down on this so expect tarrifs on all Canadian products forever destroying our economy because China isn’t going to save us.
One more thing, Mark. US regulations have no bearing in the Canadian market. They would have to meet our standards. Unless, of course, you don’t trust your precious Liberal government to do that…
Hey Mark, if you don’t want to buy American dairy, you could just choose not to. Have you considered that?
The Milk Mafia has spoken.
Three cheers for higher prices and waisted milk!!
And the US is correct.
Of course Cucknadian elbozos will demand we keep paying insane prices for all things dairy.
We love being gouged by industry and government alike.
New Zealand got rid of supplu management years ago and now look at them.
Supply management must end.
@ Mark – I am not sure if it is still true but at one time Quebec dairy farmers were the most subsidized Canadians per capita.
Is this what Carney meant to say when he said he was a Master Negotiator, folding like a cheap suit. Pathetic honestly.
Carney is weak against MAGA and will now give major concessions to get a deal. Far cry from his Elbows Up rhetoric just over a year ago. USA has the winning hand. Now Carney can kiss the MAGA ring.
Mark, hundreds of millions of people consume US dairy every day. Your comment is not based on logic or fact.
@jack not sure of why you are laser focused on Quebec. Dairy farmers in the west benefit as well, it’s called the western pool. And I don’t want hormone contaminated unregulated synthetic dairy from the US. USA subsidizes it farmers with billions in subsidies.
THIS would be the 95% of QUEBEC DAIRY FARMERS that do NOT want to give up their GOOD LIFE of high profits so all canadians can afford to have access to ALL DAIRY PRODUCTS. The FACT that billions of gallons get thrown down the drain just to protect high priced QUEBEC DAIRY proves that we could have had reasonably priced milk and dairy A LONG TIME AGO – and they scream and demand alberta equalization on top of all the huge profits they have been making off QUEBEC government protected dairies. WHY NOT let the market decide instead of the RICH QUEBEC DAIRY FARMERS IF we want the supply management system to remain? You know most people would say NO, and our milk costs just went UP again last month. Wondering how much milk all dairy farmers in canada threw down the drain last month to keep QUEBEC diaries making huge profits. Quebec is fighting them, not even part of Canada, right Quebec?
Agreed! We don’t want USA dairy from cows that have had synthetic hormones, antibiotics and other drugs given to them. And the US food inspection system is non existent!
I wish Quebec farmers would Give the milk to schools and food banks
rather than dumping it . So many families cannot afford to buy milk.
Give it to companies who produce food requiring much milk and lower the price for schools.
This Canadian wants US dairy in Camada
The cartel.needa to be ignored
Nope. Our dairy cartel caused this tariff issue going back to the first Trump administration
Nothing I love more than seeing truckloads of milk being dumped on the ground, then paying so much for milk. Elbows up. I love Quebec dairy farmers and liberals.
Sounds like Carney is going to go “Elbows Down” and going to kiss the MAGA ring and giving major concessions. Carney will sell out Canada.