Skotidakis is appealing DFO’s disciplinary actions, including retroactive assessments, pricing, fines, and milk delivery reduction/cessation decisions.
The tribunal said it’s satisfied that the lawyers working on the case did not intentionally disclose any confidential information.
And it went on in its ruling to lay out in detail how it intends to keep third-party information confidential, and how it will deal with any third-party intervenors, as the case proceeds.
One of the concerns the DFO raised is that information about how it prices milk marketed for producing low-priced milk ingredients might expose Ontario dairy farmers to trade challenges and more competition from U.S. imports.
The Skotidakis legal team has countered that keeping this pricing information confidential is not justified because it must be disclosed on an ongoing basis to U.S. officials as part of the new international trade agreement among Canada, the U.S. and Mexico.
