I don't think the milk protein concentrates are a potential problem for the supply-managed sector. I'm very pleased that the producers and the transformateurs laitiers are working together right now in a working group, which I put together, along with a mediator. Those discussions are taking place on everything from milk composition standards to milk protein concentrates, on what to do with skim milk powder excesses, and on a whole range of issues that I think are best solved by working with both the processors and producers in a negotiated way.
That being said, I don't think the importation of MPCs mostly from Europe is an attempt to destroy supply management. It's simply an attempt by someone—a producer or a transformateur—in Europe to make a dollar. It's an opportunity for them to make money, and that's why they're doing it.
But it's difficult to control. Initially there was some thought of using the WTO's article 28 to try to limit the imports of MPCs. The difficulty then becomes that since we lost the Canadian International Trade Tribunal ruling to try to limit these imports, it's doubtful whether using article 28 would be successful in actually limiting imports for very long.
What's worse is the worry that it will simply switch from European imports to American or New Zealand imports, all of which have lots of MPC capacity. They're just looking for an opportunity to dump them into Canadian markets.
My hope is that between the farmers and processors, this working group will come up with a range of options or solutions, including composition standards for milk products and what to do to re-establish growth in the industry. I think it's the best way to solve this problem.
I don't think it's particularly an attack on supply management, but indirectly of course, it does affect it.