|
|
|
|
For Immediate Release: Internal Trade Panel Report Calls for Immediate Opening of Quebec Market to Yellow Coloured Margarine August 22, 2005 ( Toronto ) -- The Vegetable Oil Industry of Canada (VOIC) congratulates Alberta in its decisive victory at an internal trade Panel in its challenge of Quebec 's margarine colour regulation. The Panel's report, released publicly today, calls for Quebec to immediately repeal its margarine colour restriction and to have its market open to yellow coloured margarine – both “no later than September 1, 2005.” The Panel found that Quebec's margarine colour regulation is a barrier to internal trade and that it has “impaired and caused injury to margarine producers and their upstream suppliers” as a result of market share losses in Quebec and costs to margarine makers of complying with the restrictive regulation. “The efforts of Alberta, and Manitoba, and Saskatchewan supporting as interveners, have finally opened the market for yellow coloured margarine in Quebec as it is elsewhere in Canada and the rest of the world,” said Sean McPhee , President of VOIC. “And, finally oilseed growers, processors and margarine makers across Canada will be treated fairly and not be placed at a competitive disadvantage by a regulation designed to protect local interests against legitimate competitors.” Following a request from VOIC and its members in Alberta , including 19,000 canola growers and members of the Canadian Oilseed Processors Association (ADM Agri -Industries Ltd., Bunge Canada , Canbra Foods), the Alberta government initiated a challenge of Quebec 's margarine colour restriction in September 2003 under the Agreement on Internal Trade. “We are delighted that Quebec 's market is now open to yellow coloured margarine made from canola grown in western Canada and soybeans grown in Ontario ,” said McPhee. “I expect manufacturers to start shipping coloured margarine into Quebec by September 1, 2005.” Notwithstanding a Supreme Court of Canada decision that Quebec is entitled to regulate the colour of margarine in Quebec , Quebec 's commitment under the Agreement on Internal Trade obliges the province to repeal the margarine colour regulation as was confirmed by the Panel report. “Given Premier Charest's leadership role in establishing the Council of Federation with its focus on internal trade liberalization and Quebec's role as Chair of the Committee on Internal Trade, we expect Quebec to act responsibly and adhere to the Panel's findings including the timelines for both the repeal of the margarine colour regulation and the opening up of the Quebec market to yellow coloured margarine.” VOIC (Vegetable Oil Industry of Canada) is an industry group representing 75,000 oilseed growers across Canada, oilseed processors and suppliers of fats and oils to the food industry, and makers of oilseed-based food products, such as margarine, cooking oil, salad dressing, mayonnaise and dessert toppings. Members include the Canadian Canola Growers Association, the Canadian Oilseed Processors Association, Archer Daniel Midland Agri-Industries Ltd., Bunge Canada, Canbra Foods, Cargill Limited, AarhusKarlshamn US and Canada, Loders Croklaan, Unilever Canada and Rich Products Corporation. -- 30 -- For Information: Sean McPhee
|