Canada’s dairy industry has become controversial of late. The US President characterizes Canadian protectionism in milk products as unfair to American dairy farmers.
Mr. Trump has a point. Supply management, the complex system that governs our milk production, has long surpassed its best-before date. Domestic quotas and high tariffs on imported milk contradict the spirit of free trade.
Fortunately, dismantling supply management is in the national interest. Consumers would pay a market price for milk products, instead of an artificially-inflated price. Industry would be subject to competition and forced into greater efficiency.
Forcing families to pay above-market prices for staple foods is unfair. Canada’s government should phase out supply management.