Mr. Speaker, contrary to what the federal government claims, the Canada-European Union free trade agreement will not have just winners.
In Quebec, cheese producers will suffer losses of $300 million in retail sales, while dairy producers are facing losses of $150 million. At the opening of the UPA convention, president Marcel Groleau asked the government to sit down with the industry and pointed out: “If you are serious, there has to be compensation. It must be assessed. It must be calculated. We must now sit down and determine what it will be.”
The government moved quickly to compensate Newfoundland fishers. Will it act immediately to respond to Quebec farmers as well?