An Internet search led me to a submission made to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Agriculture re: Bill C-176 - 2 Feb 1971 by the United Grain Growers (“UGG”). UGG had subsequently donated its historic archives to the University of Saskatchewan Library, Department of Agricultural Economics, who cataloged and listed the documents on the Internet for schmucks like me to find. If you are a proud schmuck, here is the link:
I ordered the document as an Inter-library loan, and 2 weeks later and $10.00 lighter, I have it in my sweaty hands. Here is UGG's document submitted to the Federal Government in 1971, clearly stating their opposition to Supply Management. Unfortunately, just about all of their warnings became true over the last 43 years.Box 91, Folder 17, University of Saskatchewan Library, Department of Agricultural Economics, Ref. # KF1718.W55 1971, b24167496, Catalogue # 902001621757 http://www.umanitoba.ca/libraries/archives/collections/complete_holdings/ead/html/ugg98.shtml
Read these 12 pages to better understand why Supply Management is a bad idea, such as:
- Individual rights
- efficiency and flexibility from secondary and derivative industries
- agriculture efficiency
- geographic proximity between production and use
- mutually agreed vs. unilateral edicts
- one size doesn't fit all, there are different needs and issues on a Canada-wide basis
- protections for the public
- personal freedoms
- SM is a powerful solution without a clear problem to solve
- SM given excessive powers without adequate direction, constraints, supervision, accountability, or oversight
- SM will have a negative impact on the in-farm and local economy.
- loss of export sales of commodities
- SM's market interference
If we're not yet ready to admit the obvious truth, when will we be ready?
