Legislative Assembly of Ontario
OCTOBER 18, 2006
CHICKEN FARMERS

Mr. Toby Barrett (Haldimand-Norfolk-Brant): The Chicken Farmers of Ontario are here today -- they've brought a broiler display -- to educate all of us on issues facing their industry. They're having a reception tonight, at 5 o'clock, in room 230. I invite all to come out and have some chicken, and learn a bit about Ontario's chicken farmers and the great product they produce.

They have two areas of responsibility. They ensure that Ontario chicken farmers grow sufficient amounts of safe, fresh, high-quality chicken to meet consumer needs. Secondly, they negotiate with licensed Ontario chicken processors prices to be paid to all Ontario chicken farmers by all Ontario processors.

Chicken farmers are primarily concerned about supply management, as we all know. From our side, the PC caucus has been clear from the start: We unequivocally support supply management, which is why our entire caucus signed the FarmGate5 initiative last year. Supply management is like a three-legged stool upon which the sustainability of our rural communities is perched. The three legs are: effective import controls, production controls and the ability to set price. If you take out one of those legs, the stool collapses, along with much of our rural economy.

I ask all MPPs to join me in welcoming my constituents Tom Beischlag, Jack Van Netten, and the Chicken Farmers of Ontario.