A private member's bill, Bill C-202, introduced by the Bloc Québécois, seeks to legally entrench Canada's supply management system for egg, dairy, and chicken imports by prohibiting increased quotas or reduced tariffs. This proposed legislation has created a significant divide among Canadian farmers: while supporters believe it protects domestic producers from foreign competition, particularly from the United States, opponents, mainly grain and beef exporters, fear it will severely hinder Canada's leverage and ability to secure favorable terms in future international trade negotiations, such as the upcoming CUSMA review in 2026.
Farmers divided over bill to enshrine Canada’s supply management system in law
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A private member's bill, Bill C-202, introduced by the Bloc Québécois, seeks to legally entrench Canada's supply management system for egg, dairy, and chicken imports by prohibiting increased quotas or reduced tariffs. This proposed legislation has created a significant divide among Canadian farmers: while supporters believe it protects domestic producers from foreign competition, particularly from the United States, opponents, mainly grain and beef exporters, fear it will severely hinder Canada's leverage and ability to secure favorable terms in future international trade negotiations, such as the upcoming CUSMA review in 2026.
Trending- 1 2018: Canada made concessions in the last trade agreement with the U.S. and Mexico (CUSMA).
- 2 2020: First iteration of the Bloc's supply management bill introduced.
- 3 2023: Second iteration of the Bloc's bill passed the House but not the Senate.
- 4 2024: Statistics Canada data on dairy farms.
- 5 May 29 [2025]: Bill C-202 tabled.
- 6 Early June 2025: Bill C-202 passed its first round of readings in one week.
- 7 Thursday [June 6, 2025]: Bill C-202 passed through the House of Commons.
- 8 June 11, 2025: Article published.
- 9 2026: CUSMA is up for review.
- Potential negative impact on Canada's ability to secure stronger trade agreements for non-supply-managed sectors (e.g., grains, beef)
- Continued internal friction and division among Canadian farmers based on their sector
- Potential for Canada to continue compensating supply-managed sectors for past and future trade concessions
- The bill's quick passage through the House of Commons has disappointed trade alliance groups.
What: A private member's bill (Bill C-202) in Canada aims to legally enshrine supply management rules for egg, dairy, and chicken imports, causing division among Canadian farmers and raising concerns about its impact on future trade negotiations.
When: The bill was tabled on May 29 [2025]. It passed its first round of readings in one week and passed through the House of Commons on Thursday [June 6, 2025]. The article was published on June 11, 2025. The Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) is up for review in 2026.
Where: Canada, Quebec, Ontario (where most supply-managed farms are located), Alberta, Saskatchewan (where most grain and cattle farms are located).
Why: The bill's proponents aim to protect domestic producers in supply-managed sectors from foreign competition and prevent the Canadian government from offering these sectors as concessions in trade negotiations. Opponents fear it will jeopardize trade agreements for other agricultural sectors.
How: The Bloc Québécois introduced Bill C-202, which, if passed, would legally prohibit increasing import quotas or reducing tariffs on supply-managed products. The bill has progressed through the House of Commons and is now headed to the Senate.