Brenda O’Farrell
The Advocate

Pressure is mounting on the Canadian Senate to provide its stamp of approval to Bill C-282, legislation that aims to protect the country’s supply-managed agricultural productions like dairy, poultry and eggs.

The bill, a private member’s bill first introduced by the Bloc Québécois last year, was approved by the House of Commons in June 2023. It, however, has been stalled in the upper chamber. And is now part of the political manoeuvring by the Bloc to leverage support for the minority Liberal government in Ottawa.

Bloc leader Yves-François Blanchet has given the Liberals an ultimatum, and earlier this month accused what he called the “illegitimate” upper chamber of “leading the prime minister around by the nose.”

Blanchet added C-282 to his list of conditions to support the Trudeau Liberals in a future confidence vote.

Although Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he would not interfere with the Senate’s deliberations, International Trade Minister Mary Ng has sent the chairman of the Senate’s foreign affairs and international trade committee, Peter Boehm, a letter in early October.

In addition, farming groups, including members of the Union des producteurs agricoles, were on Parliament Hill earlier this month to add their voices urging the Senate to approve the bill.

But Boehm stated publicly that hearings will continue until the end of October. That process will then be followed by a clause-by-clause study of the legislation.

Private member’s bills approved by the House of Commons are not prioritized on the Senate’s agenda, which, in part, explains why the process has been so slow.

Boehm has also been quoted as saying that he does not think it is in “Canada’s national interest” to pass the bill because it would impact future trade negotiations.

The Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) is scheduled for renegotiation in 2026.

Dairy, poultry and egg producers continue to argue that supply management has been sacrificed in recent trade negation talks and any further erosion of the protections it offers would seriously harm their livelihoods.