Mr. Speaker, from now on, new federal policies and programs will be closely scrutinized to determine their impact on rural areas.
This announcement was made yesterday in Rimouski by the federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, who was accompanied by the Secretary of State for Agriculture and Agri-Food and Fisheries and Oceans, and by the Liberal member for Bellechasse—Etchemins—Montmagny—L'Islet, at the conference held by Quebec's Solidarité rurale.
The president of Solidarité rurale, Jacques Proulx, called the plan a “great victory for rural Quebec”. This decision will make the Canadian government a special partner in ensuring the future of rural development in Quebec.
It will enable the Canadian government to promote local development within a global vision.