Conservatives Call on Justin Trudeau to Explain How He Plans to Secure Market Access for Canadian Pulse Producers

February 16, 2018
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Dean Allison, Conservative Shadow Minister for International Trade, and Agriculture and Agri-Food Shadow Ministers Luc Berthold and John Barlow, released the following statement on the eve of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s trip to India:

“It is extremely disappointing that Prime Minister Trudeau has chosen to exclude the Minister of Agriculture from his trade mission to India. By not working to secure vital trade markets for our Canadian producers, the Liberals are putting Canada’s $4 billion pulse industry in jeopardy.

“Last week, India announced a 10% increase on its duty on chickpeas, raising the import tariff to 40%. Domestic grain companies have stopped buying peas because of a 50% duty and pulse farmers are losing money while facing difficult crop decisions. Unfortunately, farmers are once again left to shoulder the cost of Liberal inaction.

“The Agriculture Minister’s indifference to working with India speaks volumes, and causes unnecessary uncertainty to the entire supply chain. Justin Trudeau must explain how he plans to secure this vital market access for our Canadian pulse producers when his Minister of Agriculture isn’t even at the table.”