International trade minister urges Senate to speed up study of Bloc's supply management bill

The Liberals are pressing the Senate to accelerate its review of the Bloc Québécois's supply management trade bill, as the deadline for the Bloc's ultimatum approaches.

Bloc Leader Yves-François Blanchet has given the Trudeau government until October 29 to fulfill a set of conditions, including the passage of Bill C-282, in exchange for the party's backing to avert an early election.

This private member's bill aims to prevent Canadian trade negotiators from making additional concessions regarding the country’s heavily protected dairy, egg, and poultry sectors. The House of Commons passed the bill in June 2023.

In addition, Blanchet has urged the government to expedite Bill C-319, which proposes a 10 percent increase in Old Age Security payments for seniors aged 65 to 74.

On October 17, International Trade Minister Mary Ng reached out to Senator Peter Boehm, requesting that he and his committee expedite the study of Bill C-282 to facilitate its prompt progression to third reading.

Ng's letter was co-signed by Bloc MP Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay, NDP MP Blake Desjarlais, and Green Party Leader Elizabeth May. In her follow-up to a previous letter sent to Boehm on October 9, Ng expressed concern that the Senate's clause-by-clause examination of the bill is not anticipated to occur until the week of November 4.

“We are eager to see your committee complete the work as quickly as possible by respectfully asking that you revisit your work plan,” Ng wrote.

However, in a response dated October 21, Boehm reminded Ng that the Senate does not prioritize private member's bills passed by the House.

As chair of the standing Senate committee on foreign affairs and international trade, he confirmed that the bill is likely to undergo clause-by-clause study in the first week of November.

"I have made clear publicly and privately, despite any negative perceptions, that this Committee is taking its work on Bill C-282 very seriously and is conducting a fair, balanced, and timely study of this consequential bill," Boehm stated.

He pointed out that Bill C-282 only garnered significant attention from the government and critics after the Bloc issued its ultimatum on September 25, coinciding with the committee's study of the bill.

“We have much respect for the will of the elected House, and indeed our elected colleagues, but Senate committees direct their own proceedings, as does the Senate itself,” he added.

The Liberals' push for urgency follows Blanchet's remarks weeks earlier, suggesting that the legislative process was being unnecessarily prolonged. During question period on October 2, Blanchet labeled the Senate as "illegitimate" and accused it of manipulating Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

“It is his senators, the ones he appointed, who are standing in the way,” Blanchet said, reminding Trudeau of the stakes for his government. “Will he instruct them to respect democracy and our choices as elected representatives?”

In response, Trudeau stated that the Senate is "doing its job" and operates independently, noting his decision as Liberal leader to remove senators from his caucus and the non-partisan process he initiated for their appointment.

“We are going to allow democracy to function without interference. However, we have always been clear: we will defend supply management,” he said.