For immediate release:
May 3, 2007

John Tory and PC Caucus unanimously re-affirm support for Supply Management

Queen’s Park—The Official Opposition, led by John Tory, strongly supported supply management this morning in the Ontario Legislature.

“I’m certainly pleased to state, actually to reiterate yet again, my unequivocal support for supply management, and support also coming from the entire Ontario PC Caucus—that’s 100%,” said Opposition Agriculture Critic, MPP Toby Barrett.  “I’m very disappointed to see the divisions within Dalton McGuinty’s Liberal Caucus with respect to supply management.”

Political support for supply management has been a lingering issue at Queen’s Park, with PC MPP Lisa MacLeod encouraging Premier McGuinty’s Caucus to sign the Farmgate5 petition on November 27 2006.  On February 22, 2007, the PC Caucus put a motion before the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs, requesting the Finance Minister to signal his support for supply management.  That motion was defeated by the Liberal Caucus.

“How can farmers trust the Dalton McGuinty government to defend supply management when Dalton McGuinty cannot get his own MPPs to sign that Farmgate5 petition,” Barrett asked in the Legislature.

The remarks came during debate on a motion in support of supply management.  While the motion passed with unanimous support in the Ontario Legislature, Premier McGuinty joined 60 per cent of his Caucus in skipping the vote.  In contrast, 71 per cent of the PC Caucus, and 70 per cent of the NDP Caucus were present to vote in favour of supply management.

During debate, Barrett also called on the McGuinty government to pay the $46 million it owes to farmers under the federally-led ‘cost of production’ payment initiative.

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For more information, please contact MPP Toby Barrett at: (519) 428-0446 or
1-800-903-8629