I find this very interesting because when I was appointed as spokesperson for agriculture in 2005, one of the first activities I took part in was a large demonstration, the theme of which was “D'abord nourrir notre monde” (Feed our People First), and it was organized by the Union des producteurs agricoles du Québec in the heart of downtown Montreal.
There are not very many farmers there, so why was it held in Montreal, right in the city? It was to show consumers, many of whom obviously live in cities, that many of the products they find in grocery stores come from nearby farms and that, if we were ever to lose what our farmers provide, we would become completely dependent on farmers from other countries and, with a bit of bad luck at some point, this could cause shortages in certain sectors, disease, out-of-control and uncontrollable price hikes and so on.
The subject had therefore already been raised. That is why I am saying that I find it interesting. Just recently, the Union des producteurs agricoles and Équiterre invited MPs to come and listen to speakers talking about food sovereignty.
I find this interesting because we are sort of drawing a parallel with what happened in the cultural industry. Quebec had been a forerunner in that area, asking that culture not be considered a commodity in international trade. It took seven years, but it managed to have culture excluded and not be considered commodities; in other words, to have cultural diversity finally gain recognition.
I would like you to summarize, if you can, the discussions on food sovereignty held in your area. That could fuel the debate here, too.