Committees of the House  It is no secret, and I and my party have said this before, that our competitors would like to see an end to the Canadian Wheat Board, just as they would like to see an end to supply management. Underlying this debate, however, is a question that we often do not talk about, and that is of individual rights or the rights of the minority. The question is, should a small group of farmers have the right to bypass the Canadian Wheat Board and sell their wheat and barley on the open market?

International Trade committee  As Canada, Australia, and Switzerland, we will be fighting as hard as we can for a successful outcome. Sir, may I also comment briefly on supply management. That is a domestic issue in Canada, and not one that as a guest in your country, I ought to be commenting on too much. But I do need to say that it does pose some philosophical and commercial difficulties for New Zealand.

Agriculture  Mr. Speaker, the supply management system has provided Canadian farmers, particularly dairy and egg producers, with stability and fair pricing for decades. However, our much vaunted supply management system is now being undermined to the detriment of hardworking Canadian farm families.

Resumption of debate on Address in Reply  The Conservative Party of Canada believes strongly that it is in the best interests of Canada and Canadian agriculture that industries under the protection of supply management remain viable but we still have no indication that the government will fight at the WTO to preserve our supply management system and to ensure it continues to provide a reasonable rate of return for producers who supply high quality food at a fair price to consumers.

Supply  A Conservative government would support the goal of supply management to deliver a high quality product to consumers for a fair price with a reasonable return to the producers. Reading that particular statement, without question, we have no problems with support of supply.

Supply  Certainly areas involved with supply management, whether dairy production, the feather industry or the production of eggs, continue to do reasonably well. That is because they are protected from the games foreign countries play in terms of increasing subsidies at a rapid rate.

Canadian Wheat Board Act  He showed it to me and asked: "How much do you think this plastic container costs, Jean-Guy?" Obviously, I gave a higher figure than what seemed a fair price: "Seven or eight dollars". That was not it. The salesman from Laval was there. The farmer said: "It is not $7 or $8. You know, farmers are used to that. Spare parts are always very expensive".

Agriculture  Now supply management is one of the foundations of the Canadian agricultural economy. Supply management is and was based on three pillars: production quotas, a regulated pricing mechanism and import quotas.

Supply  While the dairy subsidy is being reduced, it is not disappearing. In fact, our national supply management system, one of the great advantages of our federal system, ensures a reasonable return to efficient producers, and this management system will be maintained. It is rather ironic that the hon. opposition member calls our approach to transportation reform an unfair advantage for western farmers.