Ottawa Will Defend Dairy, Poultry in EU talks: Blackburn

(CTV.ca – The Canadian Press)

Canada’s minister of state for agriculture says Ottawa will defend the supply management system of dairy and poultry products in any free trade talks with the European Union.

Jean-Pierre Blackburn won’t be taking part in the next round of talks between Canada and its second largest trading partner – he’ll be in the Netherlands commemorating Canada’s contribution to that country’s liberation in the Second World War. Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Minister of International Trade Peter Van Loan will be among the federal politicians in Brussels for the Canada-EU summit on May 5. But Blackburn weighed-in on the talks and said the federal government remains committed to backing its dairy and poultry industries.

“There is a need for new markets for the food sector like any other sector,” he told The Canadian Press. “But at the same time we know some specific aspects have to be protected.” He said supply management allowed dairy and poultry industries to remain among the most profitable and stable in Canada. Read more here.