I'd like to begin by clarifying that a tariff rate quota does not mean we have to import goods. It allows Canadian importers to import products duty-free in limited quantities. For example, in year 5 of the TPP, the volume of fluid milk will reach 50,000 metric tons.
In order to be allowed to import these products, import permits will indeed be required. Under the Export and Import Permits Act, the Minister of International Trade sets the terms and conditions for allocating import permits. She is the one who determines how the tariff rate quotas are administered. A whole division of Global Affairs Canada is in charge of managing that aspect.
Generally speaking, the minister's decisions regarding the terms and conditions governing the allocation of permits are based on the advice provided to her by public servants, who consult extensively with all the interested parties. For instance, in the dairy sector, they consult with the following stakeholders: dairy producers and processors, food processors, and any retailer or party that might have an interest in obtaining an import duty.
The government intends to conduct the most extensive consultations possible. They will be led by Global Affairs Canada and will take place well before the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement potentially comes into effect. The consultation framework has yet to be determined. The Minister of International Trade will consult with her cabinet colleagues, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, in particular, in order to determine the best way to meet Canadians' agricultural and agri-food interests.