Prime Minister Mark Carney reaffirmed he'll protect Canada's supply management system, as the United States signalled it's ready to fight over this country's dairy rules at the negotiating table.
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told members of U.S. Congress Wednesday that Washington is not prepared to extend the Canada-U.S.-Mexico agreement (CUSMA) without addressing "specific and structural issues."
In remarks made public after Greer met with lawmakers behind closed doors, President Donald Trump's point-person on trade said Americans have concerns about "dairy market access in Canada" and "Canada's exports of certain dairy products."
Responding Thursday morning, Carney said supply management is "not on the table."
[…]
It's a position he's made clear in the past, including on the election campaign this spring.
Carney was asked a question on supply management in English, and responded in French — a transparent message to Quebec where the system is fiercely protected by the dairy industry.
The policy, which dates back to the 1970s, is meant to ensure predictable and stable prices by guaranteeing supply-managed farmers a minimum price for their products.
[…]
Outside of the dairy market, Greer named two other trade grievances with Canada: its laws impacting online platforms like Netflix, Spotify and YouTube, and the ongoing boycotts in some provinces of U.S. alcohol.
Carney said Thursday the issues flagged by Greer are elements of a much bigger discussion.
He said the government will "only sign an agreement" that works for Canadians.
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Trade talks with the U.S. is likely to be subsumed by CUSMA negotiations. American trade representative Jamieson Greer has fired the opening shot by listing three conditions to continue free trade with Canada, those being opening the Canadian diary market, revising the Online Streaming Act and ending provincial bans on the sale of U.S. liquor.
Carney previously has stated that he supports supply management, and has done so again on a Thursday press briefing with Premier Ford. Despite this strong rebuke to one of the American demands he has stated that there is room to making a deal and that prior to Ford’s ad, which abruptly terminated trade talks, that he was close to making a trade deal with the U.S. [Carney as well in the press conference said that American access to Canadian rare minerals is not “assured.”](https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-us-access-critical-minerals-not-assured-carney-says/)
!ping Can&Containers