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LONGUEUIL — Quebec’s political leaders vowed Friday to protect the province’s supply management system as Canada and the United States continue negotiations over a new trade agreement.

In a rare move during an election campaign, the leaders deviated from their itineraries to mount a common front and send a message to Ottawa and Washington that they would stand behind their agricultural producers, at a news conference organized by a Quebec farmers’ union. The Union des producteurs agricoles (UPA) says 116,000 jobs rely on the supply management system in the province.

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Incumbent premier and Liberal Leader Philippe Couillard joined Parti Québécois Leader Jean-François Lisée and Québec solidaire spokesperson Manon Massé for the announcement. Coalition Avenir Québec Leader François Legault could not attend, because his caravan was in Chicoutimi Thursday night. He was represented by his agriculture critic, Sylvie D’Amours. Legault spoke to the farmers’ union president by phone prior to the conference, but his absence was mentioned by all his political opponents, who noted they managed to find time in their schedules to attend the meeting, at the invitation of the union. One of his candidates suggested the CAQ leader had been “trapped” by the Liberals, who announced they would attend late Thursday.