Members of Parliament have granted unanimous approval to the Bloc Québécois' latest bill aimed at preventing concessions on Canada's supply management framework for dairy, eggs, and poultry in upcoming trade talks.
A motion to adopt Bill C-202 at all stages in the House of Commons passed with a voice vote on Thursday afternoon, fast-tracking it to the Senate. The motion was brought forward by Bloc agriculture critic Yves Perron.
Bill C-282, which contained identical text, was also passed by the House of Commons in 2023, but was then delayed in the Senate. It was amended at the committee stage in the Senate in late 2024 and died on the Order Paper in March when Parliament was dissolved for the federal election. C-202 is also the same as private member's bill C-216, which was introduced by a Bloc MP in 2020 and died with the 2021 election.
As written, the bill would prevent the trade minister from agreeing to any trade deal that would a) increase the tariff rate quota for dairy products, poultry, or eggs, or b) reduce the tariff on imports of supply managed goods above the tariff rate quota.
The bill is re-igniting divisions caused by C-282 between Canadian agriculture organizations. While supply-managed farm groups support its intent, the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance (CAFTA) says C-202 will handcuff Canada's trade negotiators and not protect supply management. CAFTA urged MPs to not provide unanimous consent and to study it thoroughly, with almost a third of the seats in the House of Commons filled by new MPs following the spring election.
Several Liberal-appointed senators, including Senators Peter Harder and Peter Boehm, were strongly opposed to C-282, and it remains to be seen whether the new bill will receive the same treatment in the Senate. Membership of Senate committees for the new session of Parliament has yet to be determined. Bill C-282 passed first and second readings in the Senate, but was ultimately derailed with an amendment by the Senate's Foreign Affairs and International Trade Committee.
Related:
Bloc leader introduces new bill to prevent concessions on supply management
Bill C-202 won’t protect supply management, only handcuffs trade negotiators, says CAFTA
