International Trade Committee on May 5th, 2026

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

I'm calling the meeting back to order.

Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2) and the motion adopted by the committee on Thursday, February 12, 2026, the committee is resuming a study on free trade within Canada.

We have with us today, from the Canadian Pork Council, René Roy, chair, and Claire Citeau, senior vice-president. From the Québec International by video conference, we have Carl Viel, president and chief executive officer.

Welcome to you all.

Mr. Viel, we open the floor to you for up to five minutes, please.

[Carl Viel, President and Chief Executive Officer, Québec International]

Thank you very much, Madam Chair.

Members of the committee, I would first like to thank you for inviting me to speak to you about free trade within Canada, a fundamental issue for our business competitiveness and that of Canada.

Since I have already had an opportunity to testify before you, I will not revisit all of our economic development agency's mandates, but it is important to remember that one of our mandates is market development, an essential lever for supporting business growth.

Historically, both in Canada and Quebec, our businesses have built their commercial relationships primarily along a north-south axis. This reality stems from geography, economic structure, and decades of supply chains organized in this direction. While these relationships remain important, they should no longer be the sole foundation for business growth.

Today, it is increasingly clear that developing a genuine east-west dynamic within Canada presents a largely untapped potential. Yet the Canadian market offers a remarkable diversity of expertise, industries, talent pools and innovation hubs, which are often complementary from one province to another.

However, developing interprovincial business relationships does not happen automatically. Establishing business practices, building a network of trust, and understanding the unique business realities of each province require time and support. All too often, companies underestimate business opportunities within Canada itself while prioritizing more distant and demanding markets. That is why free trade within Canada must be viewed not only as a regulatory issue, but also as a goal that depends on a shift in business culture. Encouraging businesses to think in terms of an east-west axis, to collaborate more with companies in other provinces, and to integrate Canadian partners into their value chains strengthens the resilience of our national economy, which we need.

In this regard, we welcome the ongoing efforts and regulatory changes to facilitate trade within Canada. Reducing non-tariff barriers, harmonizing certain standards, mutually recognizing certifications and simplifying rules governing the movement of goods, services and labour are important steps forward. Above all, they send a clear signal: The Canadian market must function as a truly integrated economic space.

However, such regulatory advances must be accompanied by action on the ground. Businesses, particularly SMEs, need guidance to take full advantage of new opportunities, identify partners across the country, understand provincial regulatory frameworks, adapt their business strategies and build strong networks beyond their natural market.

In this context, economic development agencies play a key role. At Québec International, we act as a catalyst by supporting businesses in their commercial readiness, facilitating interprovincial networking and contributing to the creation of Canadian economic corridors. We have observed that when businesses develop lasting relationships within the country, their ability to grow and export outside Canada is also strengthened. Interprovincial free trade is therefore much more than a domestic issue. It serves as a strategic tool for diversification, resilience and competitiveness for our businesses while reducing their dependence on a limited number of markets.

In closing, if we want to strengthen Canada's economic performance, we must fully tap into our own market's potential. That requires more flexible rules, certainly, but also a shift in mindset: moving from a primarily north-south approach to a truly east-west business culture.

By promoting trade between provinces, supporting the creation of an interprovincial network and actively assisting businesses in this process, we are strengthening not only domestic trade but also Canada's position in the global economy.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Thank you very much, Mr. Viel.

We'll go on to Mr. Roy and Ms. Citeau.

[René Roy, Chair, Canadian Pork Council]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Madam Chair and members of the committee, thank you for the opportunity to comment and provide guidance on this topic.

My name is René Roy, and I am a pork producer from Quebec and the chair of the Canadian Pork Council. The council represents Canada's more than 7,000 pork producers, who collectively support more than 100,000 jobs and generate over $5 billion in farm-gate receipts annually. With me today is Claire Citeau, senior vice-president.

Canadian pork is a cornerstone of both the domestic food supply and international trade, with more than 70% of our production exported to more than 80 countries. This success is built on a reputation for excellence in food safety, traceability and animal health, all underpinned by the rigorous oversight of Canada's federally inspected system. Indeed, that system has already solved our internal trade challenge in pork, as some 94% of our products go through federally inspected plants.

While CPC supports the spirit of strengthening Canada's internal market, we must ensure that our global market continues to welcome our products, thanks to its faith in our federally inspected system. Products processed in federally inspected plants move between provinces without any barriers, and we would object to any move deeming provincially inspected meat products as equivalent to federally inspected meat. At present, meat from provincially inspected plants may be sold only within the province of production.

This framework reflects real differences. Federally inspected facilities must meet the requirements of the Safe Food for Canadians Act, with continuous veterinary oversight, validated preventive control plans, traceability measures and pathogen testing protocols aligned with the Codex Alimentarius standards.

CPC does not support the weakening of our existing system. Deeming provincial inspection equivalent to federal inspection without an improvement of those standards in a unified way across the country would jeopardize food safety, consumer confidence and Canada's international reputation.

We do have an example of a provincial plant seeking to upgrade to a federal facility, and we invite this committee to work with government officials to find the mechanism to help this plant. Northern Farms is a perfect example of a group of farms attempting to implement what the government is asking for, but finding that the internal functions of government are not keeping pace with the agenda from the policy-makers.

As a path forward, CPC recognizes the intent of Bill C-5 to enhance internal trade. We believe that through two actions, this goal can be achieved without undermining Canada's food safety framework.

The first is preserving the requirement that interprovincial trade in meat products must come from federally inspected plants licensed under the Safe Food for Canadians Act. The second is supporting provincial facilities that wish to transition to federal licensing through cost-sharing programs, as discussed earlier with regard to Northern Farms.

We are not against provincially inspected plants. We just want to make sure that their products stay within the province.

CPC urges the Government of Canada to maintain the integrity of federal inspections, preserve consumer and international confidence and ensure a level playing field for all operators. We support interprovincial trade in pork only when provincial plants are upgraded to federal standards. In this way, Bill C-5 can achieve its objectives while safeguarding the long-term strength and competitiveness of Canada's pork sector.

On this, we welcome questions. Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Thank you very much.

Mr. Mantle, you have six minutes, please.

[Jacob Mantle, Conservative, York—Durham, ON]

Thank you to our witnesses for appearing and providing their valuable testimony for this study.

Mr. Viel, I'll start with you.

I have a simple question. In your estimation, do we have free trade within Canada right now?

[Carl Viel]

It's a good question. As I said in my testimony, I think there is some work to continue to do to manage and leverage some of the barriers we face in the Canadian system.

If I may, I have three examples.

The first one is the two official languages. If you're a Canadian based in Vancouver and you're looking to export to the provinces of Quebec, New Brunswick or Ontario, you're going to be looking at a potential customer who speaks French. There might be a language barrier.

The second one is the two sets of laws that we have in Canada—common law and civil law.

The third example is the differences in taxes between the different provinces. That's the third element that we have to work on.

As I said, the other element is that over the years we have been mainly looking from north to south, instead of east to west or west to east. With the current situation, I think that Canada is moving in the right direction to improve trade between the different provinces and territories.

[Jacob Mantle, Conservative, York—Durham, ON]

Thank you.

Mr. Roy and Ms. Citeau, I'll ask the same question of both of you.

In your estimation, do we have free trade in Canada right now?

[René Roy]

From the perspective of the pork sector, yes, we do.

[Jacob Mantle, Conservative, York—Durham, ON]

Is that through the federally inspected system?

[René Roy]

Yes. That's as long as we keep the federally inspected system and we allow those who are smaller to abide by these standards when it's time to trade beyond their provincial borders.

[Jacob Mantle, Conservative, York—Durham, ON]

We had testimony from McCain Foods. I'd like to put some of that testimony to you and see if you agree with the comments from Mr. McCain. He said:

...for way too long, Canada has supported a virtually unknown second-tier food safety system. The second system is a patchwork of substandard provincial and territorial regulations. These regulations all differ. They fall desperately short of modern food safety standards, and I would judge the food produced by these substandard systems as unsafe.

Do you agree with his comments?

[René Roy]

I wouldn't go that far.

What I would say is that there is a patchwork. There is asymmetry. Beyond this point, we have to make sure that it is safe. Not all standards are equal from one province to the other. I think it would be unfair to say that every provincially inspected plant produces unsafe food.

[Jacob Mantle, Conservative, York—Durham, ON]

In your view, should the federal government use its constitutional authority to seek to harmonize or produce a single food safety framework?

[René Roy]

Could you repeat the question?

[Jacob Mantle, Conservative, York—Durham, ON]

Do you think the federal government should use its constitutional authority, such as it has, to seek to harmonize food safety standards across Canada or seek to create a single food safety framework to eliminate this patchwork that you've described?

[René Roy]

I'll stay on the technical perspective. I won't go into the political one.

It is important that there is an agreement among provinces that, when it's time to trade beyond their borders, there is a standard that is recognized. We cannot afford, as an industry, to reduce these standards for the sake of trade. We have to keep it at a level that keeps the trust of our consumers.

[Jacob Mantle, Conservative, York—Durham, ON]

Thank you.

Mr. Viel or Mr. Roy, I'll ask you both for comments on this.

There was some testimony from the Parliamentary Budget Officer last week with respect to interprovincial trade and internal trade. The new Parliamentary Budget Officer said:

...we could track progress, I think that's something we could certainly do separately, or the government could establish metrics that it could commit to follow in terms of how it plans to target that aspect of what success looks like in interprovincial trade. Whether that's the government bringing that forward through its economic budget, updates, departmental plans and departmental results or...the committee asking the parliamentary budget office to do that within our work plan....

Do you think it will be helpful for the Parliamentary Budget Officer to review metrics for success for interprovincial trade and report to this committee, Mr. Viel?

[Carl Viel]

The first thing I'm going to say around that is that the data they were able to get their hands on in terms of knowing the trade was about two years behind. If you were to ask me today in 2025 what the number one company in your region was in terms of export, I would not have the numbers because I'd have to go back almost two years to get some numbers from the Quebec City region, as an example. To be able to support the work that we do, getting access to data would also help us to do a better job.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

There are 11 seconds remaining.

[Jacob Mantle, Conservative, York—Durham, ON]

You're aware that the Parliamentary Budget Officer has access to all that data and could get it from the government.

[Carl Viel]

It's getting it—

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Thank you very much, Mr. Viel.

Mr. Fonseca, please go ahead for six minutes.

[Peter Fonseca, Liberal, Mississauga East—Cooksville, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Mr. Viel, in your testimony, you mentioned that Canada is moving in the right direction when it comes to dealing with internal trade and interprovincial trade. We've heard similar comments from many stakeholders who have come before our committee. We've heard comments from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business and others that more has been done in these last 18 months than over the past 20 years in terms of trade. I understand why that is happening and how the world has changed.

You spoke to looking and thinking east-west. When you made that comment, is it a paradigm shift that we're looking at for businesses to start thinking east-west? That takes time It takes reinforcement. It takes work with all stakeholders—government, business and labour all working together—to be able to get there.

[Carl Viel]

The short answer is yes. For our own organization, over the last few months, we've been with companies in Alberta, Toronto and Ottawa. We were there last week for an event that was around trade between la Francophonie and the different provinces. That was hosted in Ottawa. It's bringing the companies together so they know what the opportunities are, where they are and how we can help them get access to those opportunities.

At the end of the day, it's like going to any other market. It's helping and making sure we're supporting the companies so they understand how, for example, they can sell a product to LCBO, to Loblaws or to any other type of company. It's providing access, providing them the information and also ensuring that the company that is in the process of selling a product or a good has the capacity to produce the amount that's going to be requested if they sign an agreement.

All of those things have to be done and have to be taken into account when we're working with companies to help them move and gain some sales or exports to other provinces.

It's a bit funny to say, “export to another province”. We're in the same country. I'm going to say, “expand their sales across the country”.