International Trade committee  Eggs are precisely what is defined as a strategic product. Let me give you a few figures. In Canada, all our producers put together have approximately 28 million laying hens. In the United States, two producers, that I can name, each have 30 million laying hens. One single American business owns more laying hens than all of the Canadian producers put together, and there's another business with the same amount.

International Trade committee  The bill is very simple. We have seen the government make concessions four times now. I follow trade agreement negotiations, because I have been interested in agricultural policy for a long time. Every single time, our government tells us that negotiators had to put supply management on the table, but that they would not make any concessions and we had nothing to worry about.

International Trade committee  Let me tell you about my town. I live in the country, in the town of Saint‑Gédéon‑de‑Beauce. We used to have 30 farmers. Nowadays, however, there is just my business and my son's business left in terms of farms, as well as two dairy producers who are also under supply management.

International Trade committee  We have had a lot of consultation during the study on the former Bill C‑216 and the current Bill C‑282. I firmly believe that our elected officials should send a clear signal on what we can put or not put on the negotiating table. As I said earlier, negotiators will do their job and will create wealth through these agreements.

International Trade committee  Thank you for the question. We have, of course, heard about what is going on in the United States with the severe outbreak of bird flu which has required the destruction of over 44 million sick laying hens. Prices have since skyrocketed and hit record highs in the United States and are currently much higher than in Canada.

International Trade committee  Thank you, Madam Chair. Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for the invitation. I am Paulin Bouchard, president of the Fédération des producteurs d'œufs du Québec. I am here with our vice-president, Mr. Sylvain Lapierre. We are both egg producers from Quebec. Our federation represents 199 producers whose 5.7 million laying hens produce 1.8 billion eggs per year.

Agriculture committee  We often tend to opt for the solution that is not easy for you, the politicians, which is the financial solution. We want to make up for the lack of efficiency by adding to the money. But we have extraordinary tools in Canada that allow us to have greater flexibility, more regulatory predictability, and to reduce the impact on consumers, who end up paying taxes.

Agriculture committee  Yes, absolutely. Thank you for your excellent question, Mr. Lehoux. Producers are going to have to euthanize birds prematurely. Programs, paid for collectively by producers, will be put in place so that there is no impact on the consumer. There is also the supply management system.

Agriculture committee  Absolutely; you've understood well.

Agriculture committee  I would also like to thank you for extending the invitation to the Fédération des producteurs d'oeufs du Québec. This is the first time I have had an opportunity to participate in this committee, and I am happy about that. This afternoon, I will talk to you about how our sector has had to adapt since the beginning of COVID-19.