It happened in the Halles d’Anjou, located in the eastern part of Montreal, where I have been known to wander. It’s a small public market where a few seasonal producers and year-long merchants have their place of business.

One day at a reputed butcher shop – that will remain nameless – a small television was set up and was broadcasted an old Daniel Pinard episode from the series Les pieds dans les plats. I spotted her at once; recognized the pretty face of my niece, Florence, as she talked about lamb from Charlevoix under the watchful eye of her parents Lucie Cadieux and Vital Gagnon. Quite moving.

Now that I think about it: what was a tv doing on the end of the counter? Yuk! Was the butcher shop promoting lamb from Charlevoix? Impossible, since the farm from Les Éboulements doesn’t sell to the Montreal market.

I approached the cashier in disbelief and tested her knowledge of their lamb’s origins! She responded quickly and deftly with the assurance of a Tupperware lady. Faced with her obvious bad faith, I asked to see her boss. He – hesitant, reticent and sickly sweet – admited quite freely that it was in fact lamb fro Quebec, but not necessarily from Charlevoix.

What do you mean not necessarily? I hate being screwed over by these sanctimonious business hypocrites. What I’m saying is that this kind of fraudulent misrepresentation, repeated ad nauseam, this kind of misappropriation of someone else’s work is just plain thievery. It’s outrageous! Just like this organic maple pole syrup trying to pass as the real stuff.

Why am I talking about this? To inform you that Mr Laurent Lessard – our hyperactive minister – has recently scored a coup by having the ‘Agneau de Charlevoix’ appellation officially adopted as a Registered Geographical Identification.

According to the Loi sur les appellations réservées, Agneau de Charlevoix is now protected and added to a prestigious list of over 150 protected agricultural products from around the world. Just going through this list of products makes me drool: Brie de Meaux, Brest chicken, Parma ham, Argan oil, clementines from Morocco, tequila from Mexico, and Columbian coffee. No more nonsense with the Halles d’Anjou.

Having this law passed was not an easy feat. Initiated some 15 years ago through the determination of chefs and farmers from the Charlevoix region in an effort to preserve and maintain the epicurean character of the area, the idea slowly made way as the years went by and gained initial approval from the French consul, with help from MAPAQ, commitments on the part of a few Liberals and even more members of the PQ, and most especially thanks to the persistence and hard work of Lucie Cadieux and Charlevoix lamb producers.

Lucie Cadieux! If you’re looking for a bulldozer to clear a field, Lucie’s your man! Physician’s daughter, originally from the big city of Montreal, who now operates a sheep farm with Vital Gagnon in the village of Les Éboulements, generously invested a great deal in personal teams, working long hours preparing for meetings, attending meetings, travel and communication expenses related to those meeting, which if calculated would amount to tens of thousands of dollars.  

But why choose this long and winding road filled with roadblocks and potholes instead of the simpler route of registering a trademark? There is both a simple and a complicated answer. A trademark defends private interests while a geographical identification protects the area’s reputation and the interests of the local community. There’s a sizeable difference.

Talk to the residents of the small Czech village of Budweis, known for its Budweiser Budvar beer. They’ve been in a legal battle since 1880 with Anheuser-Busch, the American brewer of the world’s best-selling beer Bud (Budweiser). This particular case is striking since the controlled term of origin collides with commercial interests. It will eventually end up in front of the WTO courts.

One thing is certain, in a global world, a controlled term of origin (Appellation d’origine contrôlée – AOC) or a Registered Geographical Identification (Identification géographique protégée – IGP) are valuable assets in reinforcing the distinct character of an agricultural product and its country. Whose turn is it now?

P.-S. Dear friends, this is my last article. Considering the position I now hold and the responsibilities involved, I must leave the task of writing a compelling Tour d’horizon to others – who may be younger, freer, and a little crazier. Thank you for reading my words with such kindness over the past 10 years.