Bill C-218

1st Session, 39th Parliament,

55 Elizabeth II, 2006

house of commons of canada

BILL C-218

An Act for the recognition and promotion of agricultural supply management

WHEREAS the agricultural supply management system in Canada, which is based on production that is planned to match demand, producer pricing that reflects production costs, and control of imports, has been a fair and successful model in the dairy, chicken, turkey, egg and broiler hatching egg sectors;

WHEREAS supply management allows farmers to obtain fair returns from the marketplace, processors to benefit from a stable supply of primary farm products, and consumers to obtain quality food products at reasonable prices;

WHEREAS producers under supply management are important to the economic vitality and stability of many rural areas in Canada;

WHEREAS supply management relies on domestic market returns rather than direct government financial contributions and therefore provides savings to taxpayers and to the Government of Canada;

WHEREAS supply management does not distort agricultural markets because it satisfies market requirements while avoiding surpluses;

AND WHEREAS supply management successfully coexists with other marketing arrangements for agricultural commodities;

NOW, THEREFORE, Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows:

SHORT TITLE

1. This Act may be cited as the Agricultural Supply Management Recognition and Promotion Act.

INTERPRETATION

2. In this Act, “Minister” means the member of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada designated by the Governor in Council for the purposes of this Act.

POLICY

3. (1) It is hereby declared to be the policy of the Government of Canada to

(a) recognize and promote supply management as a fair and successful agricultural model in the dairy, chicken, turkey, egg and broiler hatching egg sectors;

(b) recognize and promote the understanding of supply management as a fundamental characteristic of Canadian agriculture;

(c) maintain the conditions to ensure that supply management is preserved in Canada;

(d) encourage and assist federal institutions to promote policies, programs and practices necessary to the preservation of supply management in Canada; and

(e) foster and assist in the recognition of supply management internationally as a tool of individual and rural economic development.

IMPLEMENTATION OF SUPPLY MANAGEMENT POLICY

4. The Minister, in consultation with other ministers of the Crown, shall encourage and promote a coordinated approach to the implementation of the Government of Canada’s supply management policy and may provide advice and assistance in support of that policy.

5. The Minister shall take such measures as the Minister considers appropriate in the furtherance of the Government of Canada’s supply management policy and, in particular, may

(a) take measures in agriculture and trade to ensure that producers under supply management can continue to meet the needs of Canadian processors and consumers and obtain their revenue from the marketplace based on their production costs and a fair return on their labour and capital;

(b) encourage and assist in the recognition and promotion of supply management in Canada and — in cooperation with other countries — abroad;

(c) encourage and assist individuals, organizations and institutions to publicize the benefits of supply management in their activities in Canada and abroad; and

(d) assist, cooperate with and enlist the aid of any group interested in furthering the objects of this Act.

6. The ministers of the Crown other than the Minister, and any other federal institutions with responsibilities relating to supply management, shall, in the execution of their respective mandates, take such measures as they consider appropriate to implement the Government of Canada’s supply management policy.

AGREEMENTS AND ARRANGEMENTS

7. The Minister, with the approval of the Governor in Council, may enter into an agreement or arrangement with any province or territory respecting the implementation of the Government of Canada’s supply management policy.

8. The Minister, with the approval of the Governor in Council, may enter into an agreement or arrangement with the government of any foreign state in order to encourage, promote, preserve and develop supply management as a fair agricultural model.

REGULATIONS

9. The Governor in Council may, by regulation, make provision for any matters deemed necessary or desirable to carry out the purposes and provisions of this Act.