Dairy farmer turned Liberal MP vows to be voice for tariff-hit Quebec region

OTTAWA - Newly elected Liberal MP Daniel Gobeil claims his experience as a dairy farmer and agricultural leader will enable him to represent a Quebec region that is significantly impacted by the Canada-U.S. trade conflict. Gobeil, who previously presided over Quebec’s dairy producers, believes his insights may have been considered by Canada during its discussions with the United States.

During his successful campaign in the Aug. 31 byelection, Gobeil claimed that Prime Minister Mark Carney listened to his opinions and that he exchanged views with Dominic LeBlanc, the minister in charge of Canada-U.S. trade, concerning the supply-management system. The supply-management system is a set of rules governing production and prices for dairy, poultry, and eggs, utilizing import quotas and tariffs to safeguard domestic producers.

However, Gobeil admits that his direct involvement in the negotiations was minimal, with senior officials like LeBlanc and Carney's team leading the talks. Gobeil, who heads to Ottawa at a challenging time for the Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean region, faces economic difficulties due to U.S. tariffs. He has vowed to bring the concerns of local industries such as aluminum and forestry to the Liberal caucus.