Mr. Speaker, throughout the negotiations, the government consulted closely with a full range of agriculture industry stakeholders. We will continue to work closely with the sector, including as the implementation of the free trade deal proceeds.
We need to remember that this agreement holds tremendous potential for Canadian farmers, including those in Quebec, and we believe in those farmers. When the agreement is fully implemented, over 95% of the EU's agricultural tariffs will be eliminated, including on our key agricultural exports, such as meats, grains and oil seeds, fruits and vegetables, maple syrup, and processed foods. There will be an estimated $1 billion in new sales for the beef and pork industry.
We know that all of our farmers can compete, including our dairy farmers. Let me quote someone very knowledgeable, who said:
We have some of the finest and best artisanal cheese in the world, without a doubt, and we can compete with anyone in the world, without a doubt.
Who said that? It was Wally Smith, president of the Dairy Farmers of Canada. We agree with him.
