Agricultural groups in Quebec want coercive legislation for Canadian retailers to promote local products.

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Quebec’s Union of Agriculture Producers (UPA) represents some 44,000 producers, and appealed to a government commission on Quebec agriculture for protections from foreign competition.


UPA chief Laurent Pellerin outlined producers’ recommendations: tighter controls over products offered in Quebec; forcing government institutions to source locally; ensuring local products are marketed more aggressively; and a regulatory and surveillance agency to guarantee space for Quebec products on store shelves.


“Free markets are a false ideal,” said one union leader,


A representative for Canada’s Council of Grocery Distributors dismissed most suggestions outright. Robert Cloutier said the proposals “favour producers over consumers”, while harming retailers with measures contrary to free competition.

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Also suggested was a C$15m (US$14.5m) plan to develop new markets and get more Quebec produce in national private-label brands.

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