Quebec farmers, cows protest ahead of federal leaders' debate - Action News
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Montreal

Quebec farmers, cows protest ahead of federal leaders' debate

Quebec dairy farmers brought their fight over supply management and their cows to the site of the French-language federal leaders' debate in Montreal.

Proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership would hurt dairy industry, reps say

Protesting dairy farmers brought two cows to the site of Montreal's protest against the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership. (Antoni Nerestant/CBC)

Quebec dairy farmers thrust theirfight over supply management into the election spotlighttoday,bringing a pair of cowsto the site of tonight's federal leaders debate.

Protesters gathered on the front lawn of CBC'sMontreal headquarters, Maison Radio-Canada, holding up signs calling for the federal government to support local agriculture.

Quebecaccounts forhalf of Canada'sdairyfarms, and representatives from the industry are concerned about the potential impact of the proposed 12-country Trans-Pacific Partnership.

The United States, Australia and New Zealand have beenpushing for greateraccess to Canada's dairy sector in particular.

The question of whether to loosen supplymanagementof the dairy sector and by how much has been met by strong opposition from dairy farmers and could have major political ramifications in Quebec.

Bruno Letendre, headof Quebec milk producers, said in a statement the province's cheese producers have already been hurt by a recent free-trade pact with Europe allowing more imports.

Lifting dairy restrictionsas part of the TPP agreement would be another blow to the local industry, he said.

"Producers have good reason to be suspicious," Letendre said.

Supporters of the deal say it would create openings for Canada in dynamic Asian markets for the first time and, in particular, Japan the world's third-largest economy.

The abolition of Canada'sdairysupply management system would threaten 4,500 to 6,000 farms and up to 24,000 direct jobs across the country, according to a studycommissioned bydairyco-operative Agropur.

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with files from Canadian Press