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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold">December 21, 2006 <i>(6:50 p.m. EST)</i><br>
No. 163</span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold">CANADA’S NEW GOVERNMENT HAS PROVEN TRACK RECORD ON
SUPPLY MANAGEMENT</span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">The Honourable David Emerson, Minister of International Trade, and the Honourable
Chuck Strahl, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian
Wheat Board, today said Canada’s new government will continue to support our supply-managed agricultural industries in the World Trade Organization (WTO) Doha Round
and other negotiations.</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">“Our supply management system is not on the negotiating table. This government has
consistently defended our supply-managed sectors at the WTO,” said Minister
Emerson. “Agriculture has become the main focus of the Doha Round. In these
negotiations, Canada strongly supports the supply management system used in the
dairy, poultry and egg sectors, just as other countries have been supporting their own
sensitive sectors.”</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">“This government strongly supports Canada’s supply management system,” said
Minister Strahl. “Our party policy supports it, we campaigned on it, and we have gone to
the wall to defend elements important to our supply management system, during
international negotiations.”</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Minister Emerson said Canada continues to believe that an ambitious outcome to the
Doha Round is in the best interest of the Canadian economy as a whole. Negotiations
have been stalled but will hopefully resume in the new year.</span></span></p>
<br>
<p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">- 30 -</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">For further information, media representatives may contact:</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Jennifer Chiu<br>
Press Secretary<br>
Office of the Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Pacific Gateway and
the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics<br>
613-992-7332</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Conrad Bellehumeur<br>
Director of Communications<br>
Minister Strahl’s Office<br>
613-759-1059</span></span></p>
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