A message to Maxime Bernier (and other Canadian politicians)
Yesterday I watched a video on an interview of Maxime Bernier - the leader of the People's Party of Canada. One of his sentiments I found very troubling - his stand on the dairy industry in Canada. It is not just his opinion that is troublesome. His thoughts tend to be echoed by politicians across all parties.
The Canadian Dairy Industry is controlled by interested parties in a supply management system. It evaluates the demand by the consumers and limits the production of milk products to that demand and pays the farmers a reasonable amount based on their cost of production.
While it might appear to be an issue of too much government or a "dairy cartel" it is a responsible means of protecting both the consumer and the producer. In contrast to the system in the United States, Canadian dairy producers can wake each day and know how much they will receive. In contrast the United States has a system which not only has cause massive bankruptcies in the sector but also suicides. Removing the supply management system will not only have economic repercussions but will spark a mental health issue.
Most people do not consider the second level ramifications of decisions like this. Having a world free trade in an essential product like milk opens our borders to not only to the United States but also from China. Just a reminder: