EU free trade: last-minute cheese deal got Quebec on board

Quebec signed on to support the free trade deal with the European Union only at the last minute and that is because the federal government offered to compensate the province’s agricultural sector.

Former Premier Pierre-Marc Johnson, who served as Quebec’s chief negotiator, said that he learned on Thanksgiving Monday that an additional 17,700 tonnes of European cheese was going to be permitted into the Canadian market.

“It was a holiday, people eating turkey sandwiches, when we heard the 17,700 figure. We immediately wondered: ‘Could that be right? Did they accidentally add an extra zero?’”

Johnson concluded that the subtle announcement was no accident. “The federal negotiations knew that we would not be happy," he said.

Johnson and Premier Pauline Marois then went on an offensive against the federal government. Marois even discussed the issue with her Ontario counterpart, Kathleen Wynne.

Federal negotiators said that they believed that the Canadian market would be able to absorb the additional cheese.

“Our message to the federal negotiators was, ‘You say that the Canadian market will probably be able to absorb that extra cheese but you’re not sure, so then you must compensate us,’” said Johnson.

By Friday morning Prime Minister Stephen Harper gave the news from Belgium that the feds would completely compensate the province for losses suffered by the higher levels of imported cheese.

Johnson said the end result is a deal that the Quebec farmers’ lobby can live with.

But their objections had been entirely legitimate, according to Johnson.

“Everybody knows that this agreement was aimed at benefiting manufacturing and service sectors of the economy. It’s mostly aimed at the non-agricultural sector, even though some changes will result,” he said.

Johnson noted that it will likely take up to two years before all the parties involved give their final approvals but expressed the notion that it would all advance without a hitch.

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  Quebec signed on to support a free trade deal with the European Union only at the last minute, after the federal government offered to compensate the province’s agricultural sector. Former premier Pierre-Marc Johnson who served as Quebec’s chief negotiator in the deal, said that he learned on Thanksgiving Monday that an additional 17,700 tonnes of European cheese was going to be permitted into the Canadian market. “It was a holiday, people eating turkey sandwiches when we heard the 17,700 figure. We immediately wondered: ‘Can that be right? Did they accidently add an extra zero?’” Johnson said that he thought that it might not have been an accident that the feds had the Quebec negotiators learn of the new number so late in the game. “They knew that we would not be happy, ' he said. Johnson and Premier Pauline Marois then went on an offensive against the federal government and Marois lobbied with her Ontario counterpart, Kathleen Wynne. Federal negotiators had believed that the Canadian market would be able to absorb the additional cheese. “Our message was, ‘You say that the Canadian market will probably be able to absorb it, but you’re not sure, so then you must compensate us,’” said Johnson. By Friday morning Prime Minister Harper gave the news from Belgium that the feds would complete compensate the province for any losses suffered by the loss of cheese sales. Johnson said the end result was a win that could put the Quebec farmers’ lobby to rest. But their objections had been entirely legitimate, according to Johnson. “Everybody knows that this agreement was aimed at benefitting manufacturing, and service sectors of the Quebec economy. It’s mostly aimed at the non-agricultural sector even though some changes will result,” he said. Johnson noted that it will likely take up to two years before all the parties involved give their final approvals but expressed the notion that it would all advance without a hitch.