Mr. Speaker, the opportunity for the government to aggressively attack European Union and United States agricultural subsidy policies has never been better. The Bush administration will soon be bringing forward its new farm bill. The Americans have indicated a willingness to continue the present level of market distorting support.
The European Union is also facing a number of issues. The EU spends half its total annual budget, $50 billion, on farm support. It is under pressure from within to reduce this amount. The proposed enlargement of the EU will put additional pressures on its budgets. The WTO peace clause expires at the end of 2003 and critical elections in Europe will be over by then as well.
Worldwide a billion dollars is spent everyday on some form of agricultural support. It is imperative that the government act now to pressure the European Union and the United States to stop subsidies that continue to critically harm Canadian producers.