STRONG TRADE LEGISLATION NEEDED
BY KYLE LARKIN
The push to pass Bill C-282 is a troubling development for Canada’s position as a global trade leader. With this legislation, Canada’s supply managed sectors, namely chicken, dairy, eggs, hatching eggs and turkey, would be exempt from trade negotiations. For Grain Growers of Canada (GGC) and the 70,000 grain farmers it represents, it undermines the critical role of international trade in sustaining Canada’s agriculture sector and the broader economy. Grain farmers export well more than half of what they produce. Our products—cereals, oilseeds and pulses—feed families around the world and generate billions for Canada’s economy. Simultaneously, most Canadian grain farmers rely on trade to sell their crops, with greater than 70 per cent of what they produce being exported. For farmers, loss of market access brings with it shrinking margins, unsold crops and growing uncertainty about the future.
With the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) review in 2026, Canada faces a critical moment for its trade relationship with the United States. At a time when Canada must protect its market access, Bill C-282 sends a concerning signal to the U.S. By exempting supply managed sectors at the negotiation table, Canada risks undermining its ability to negotiate comprehensive agreements and invites retaliatory actions, including the very real threat of 25 per cent American tariffs on Canadian grain and grain products. Such measures would have devastating consequences for Canadian farmers whose livelihoods depend on open and stable access to our largest trading partner. Equally devasting would be loss of free access to the American market, which could happen if we are unable to negotiate in good faith.
It is Canada’s ability to negotiate comprehensive trade agreements that has maintained the foundation of our sector’s strength and resilience. Agreements such as the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and CUSMA have allowed Canadian grain farmers to thrive by securing competitive access to markets. These successes were achieved because Canada negotiated in good faith and balanced the needs of all sectors. They were not achieved by handcuffing our trade negotiators.
Furthermore, other countries are eager to seize opportunities Canada risks forfeiting. Competitor nations position themselves to fill gaps in global markets, leveraging their own trade relationships to outcompete Canadian products. Without a firm commitment to open and fair trade policies, Canada risks falling behind, leaving farmers and the rural communities that depend on them to absorb the cost.
Strong global demand for Canadian grain cannot be taken for granted. Bill C-282 introduces unnecessary risk, which will diminish Canada’s competitive edge and make it more difficult for farmers to access key markets. As we deal with the Trump administration and prepare for the upcoming CUSMA review, Canada must demonstrate its commitment to open, reciprocal trade policies that benefit the entire economy, including agriculture. The last thing our sector needs is another trade irritant that could allow free trade with the U.S. to disappear.
With Parliament set to resume on March 24, after being prorogued and opposition party leaders committing to a vote of non-confidence in the government, there is a chance the bill will cease to exist should Parliament collapse. However, this isn’t the first time a bill has been tabled that would exempt supply management from future trade negotiations.
At GGC, we continue to work with members of Parliament and senators to ensure they reject approaches such as Bill C-282 that create division and uncertainty. Instead, Canada must advance trade policies that prioritize growth, protect Canadian exports and secure opportunities for the next generation of farmers.
Decisions made today will impact Canada’s ability to compete tomorrow. For Canada’s grain farmers, the choice is clear: Trade drives us forward. Bill C-282 holds us back.
Kyle Larkin is the executive director of GGC.
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