Thank you, Mr. Emerson and Mr. Chair, and thanks to the committee for devoting some time to this critical issue. It's an important one and it gives us an opportunity to once again stress our government's strong support for supply management.
I want to strongly echo the comments made by Minister Emerson and I'd like to focus my own observations today on my portfolio and the range of initiatives and positions the government has taken specifically in support and defence of the supply management system.
We understand, as I know the people around this table understand, the enormous value that the supply management system brings to those sectors that have chosen to market this way.
The system has served producers, processors and Canadian consumers well for many years and will continue to do so.
As Minister Emerson has made clear, we have not only been active on behalf of our farmers in the domestic community, but we've been working hard internationally as well. Mr. Emerson has already spoken about our trade negotiation agenda and our recent initiative to pursue formal WTO consultations with the United States regarding their trade-distorting subsidies for agriculture.
We've taken other recent measures as well. For example, as you know, in response to dairy industry concerns, three weeks ago I announced we will be initiating negotiations under article 28 of the GATT to restrict imports of milk protein concentrates. As you are aware, the increased use of milk protein concentrates in dairy products has posed significant challenges to producers for several years, and we took aggressive action on it.
In a separate initiative in support of supply management, I also announced that I would ask the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to launch a regulatory process related to compositional standards for cheese. This process should result in the further harmonization of the relative federal regulatory instruments and will be designed to protect consumer interests and promote choice in the marketplace.
Mr. Chairman, Canada's farm leaders have commended this government for taking action on behalf of the dairy sector. They have also said very clearly that they recognize this government's strong commitment to measures that support their vital marketing tools, such as supply management.
These are important government initiatives that will help the industry move forward. However, the discussions in the dairy industry working group we established last spring made it very clear these actions alone cannot achieve the long-term solutions required to ensure profitable growth for producers and processors. That's why I've also urged producers and processors to renew their discussions under the dairy industry working group framework. We're committed to supporting the industry and to tackling the key challenges it currently faces, but long-term solutions can only come from producers and processors working together.
I want to thank both of those groups for putting so much effort already into those negotiations and discussions, and I urge them to continue them wholeheartedly.
The theme of close collaboration with our industry, and indeed of leadership in collaboration within and across our agricultural industry, is also relevant to our work in international trade negotiations. In that regard, I'd like to close my remarks today by briefly returning to Minister Emerson's observation about our position at the WTO. I want to strongly reiterate Minister Emerson's point that Canada has much to gain from a successful outcome in Geneva. For Canadian agriculture to thrive and to compete effectively, we need to achieve an ambitious result and strengthen the rules that currently govern world agricultural trade.
We are continuing to seek substantial reductions in trade distorting domestic support, as well as significant improvements in market access and the elimination of all forms of export subsidies.
There's absolutely no doubt this government has mounted a very strong defence at the WTO of interests important to supply management. The record on this is very clear. We continue to take a very hard line on these issues. At the same time, it's important to recognize that all other members of the WTO are willing to accept at least a degree of over-quota tariff cuts and tariff quota expansion.
We have no allies for this position. So what does this mean for Canada? This government's commitment to supply management is strong. Our negotiating position in Geneva remains aggressive in defence of supply management, but as Minister Emerson has explained, we're also committed to the WTO; it is the cornerstone of our trade policy.
So this reality presents Canada with a challenge. We have a very strong interest to remain as effective and influential as we can at the negotiating table so we can achieve the best possible outcome for our whole agricultural sector, including exporters, but also for supply-managed industries. Our agricultural industry will have an important role to play here.
As we move forward, we need to continue to work very closely with the provinces and a full range of our agriculture stakeholders, including supply-managed industries, to make sure that we can deliver the best possible result for Canada. We will be listening closely to their views.
It's always preferable to be a deal maker than a deal taker at any negotiation, and that's why we will continue to work together collectively with industry and collectively between departments to ensure an effective approach for Canada.
With those remarks, I would think we're ready to take questions.
Seeing there are no questions, I think you're ready to leave.