Madam Speaker, the government understands the importance of the Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector to our economy, our trade and our jobs. Our negotiators worked hard to advance Canadian agricultural interests at the table. The Canada-United States-Mexico agreement preserves existing agriculture commitments in North America and helps grow an already highly integrated industry. This agreement maintains the three pillars of supply management: production controls, price controls and import controls.
The Government of Canada strongly supports Canadian dairy, poultry and egg farmers, and our supply management system. Around the world, our supply management system is viewed as a model of stability. It provides a fair return for farmers, a predictable supply for processors, and high-quality dairy, poultry and egg products for consumers.
Canada's dairy, poultry and egg producers and processors are vital to the prosperity and sustainable growth of our nation and are an integral part of Canadian agriculture. Production and processing activities contribute to multiple other industries, all of which help support local economies and create vibrant rural communities.
Promoting trade and maintaining our supply management system are not mutually exclusive. Canada has a proven track record of negotiating high-quality free trade agreements with major trading partners while maintaining the pillars of supply management. Through CETA, the CPTPP and the renegotiation of NAFTA, the biggest free trade deals in Canada's history, we have been able to preserve, protect and defend our supply management system.
The government stands strongly behind the dairy, poultry and egg industries, and together we will work to assess the impacts of the new NAFTA and CPTPP on the sectors. To this end, the government will continue to work with dairy, poultry and egg farmers and processors as part of the government's recent commitment to form working groups that will discuss the details of the recent agreements and collaborate to develop strategies to help them adapt, innovate and remain competitive.
Surely, the hon. member does not want us to make decisions on the compensation before consulting farmers.
