The world food crisis.

Long term growth in the world economy should see a continuation in the rising demand for food products. The recent food spikes have been caused primarily by a series of shorter term shocks and poor policy measures that have seen some economies benefit (Canada for example) and others suffer tremendously. The critical question is: what can be done to improve the situation?

How the food crisis affects Canada.

The tabling of the Commission sur l’avenir de l’agriculture et de l’agroalimentaire québécois’ report.

The cost of milk regulation in Quebec.

The cost of milk regulation in Quebec.

The cost of milk regulation in Quebec.

Publication of an Economic Note and an opinion poll on social assistance reforms.

The Commission sur l’avenir de l’agriculture et de l’agroalimentaire du Québec hold its hearings.

Despite a worldwide trend toward market liberalization and competition, most politicians and people involved in Quebec agriculture maintain a vigorous defence of supply management of certain farm products. Supply management is the mechanism by which milk, poultry and egg producers in Canada (most of them located in Quebec and Ontario) adjust production to protect their incomes. To this end, domestic demand is evaluated arbitrarily, and efforts are made to match this with production of the goods covered by the scheme.