Proving its political clout yet again, the Quebec dairy
lobby got an encouraging word from Quebec Premier Pauline Marois from a
platform in Brussels.
Marois said the Quebec legislature will not
endorse the Canada-Europe free-trade agreement until Ottawa explains how it
will compensate the province's cheese producers.
Marois said she will present the accord in the
national assembly only when that detail has been finalized.
Canadian Press reports that she insisted her
stand does not put the deal in danger.
Marois said many details of the deal remain to be
worked out before a final text is published.
``I promised (Prime Minister Stephen) Harper that
the accord would be presented to the national assembly once Ottawa had reached
a deal with our cheese producers on compensation,'' she said Monday. ``Until we
get that deal, I will not table the accord and it will not be applicable,” she
said.
