The issue of agricultural subsidies is one of the three pillars of the agriculture negotiations. There are proposals on the table that quite directly target a substantial reduction in subsidies, because they create trade distortions. For example, these proposals are aimed at an 80% reduction in European subsidies, a 70% reduction in American subsidies and approximately a 5% to 55% reduction in other developed countries. The reduction goals of these subsidies remain considerable. They are indeed intended to allow the most competitive countries on the international scene to benefit from their competitiveness without having to be subject to the unfair competition caused by such subsidies. It is therefore one of the major objectives of the negotiations.
This is most certainly a sector in which Canada has significant interests to put forward. If you recall, some 15 years ago, several of our agricultural sectors were negatively affected by subsidy wars between the United States and Europe. The Doha Round is therefore aimed at putting an end to these kinds of subsidies and allowing fair competition on the markets. In this context, it would be our agricultural sectors that are globally competitive that would above all be able to benefit enormously from this.