The government plans significant changes to its proposed Canadian Wheat Board reform bill in a bid to speed it through before an expected June election, according to Parliament Hill sources.
Many of the amendments, likely to be unveiled later this week by Liberal MPs at the Commons agriculture committee, will be aimed at reducing the perception that the new board of directors would be controlled from Ottawa.
The changes were worked out during a private Easter Monday meeting in Regina between agriculture minister Ralph Goodale, Agriculture Canada official Howard Migie and at least three Liberal MPs flown west – parliamentary secretary Jerry Pickard, agriculture committee chair Lyle Vanclief and committee member Wayne Easter.
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These follow sustained criticism of the bill during committee meetings on the Prairies last month.
Sources say the Liberal amendments will change the bill to indicate:
- A fixed number of seats – perhaps two-thirds of a 15-member board- will be farmer elected. At present, the bill allows the minister discretion in how many seats would be elected.
- Board members, rather than Ottawa, will choose their own chair and set the level of compensation.
- The chief executive officer would be appointed by government but the board would be consulted on the choice, would have the right to set the CEO salary level and be able to indicate no-confidence if a conflict arises.
“The minister may be making the appointment but the board will have the control,” said one source familiar with the draft amendments.
- The right of the agriculture minister to dismiss a board member will be severely limited. The bill now says they serve “at pleasure” of the minister but amendments will set out the exact rules on dismissal and may make it at the board’s discretion.
The legislation would allow crops to be added to the wheat board’s jurisdiction, as well as removed. The bill now appears to offer farmers only the option of votes to take jurisdiction away.
“This will show we listened,” said a government member.
May not be enough time
Reform critics likely will say the changes are too timid. And even with the concessions, passage of the bill is far from certain.
The committee heard final witnesses April 8 and was slated to start clause-by-clause study April 9. The Liberals are pressing Opposition MPs to approve it quickly in committee so it can get back to the House of Commons.
Even if that happened, available House time would be limited to fewer than 15 days before a late-April election call. It is highly unlikely the bill could make it through final approval, and the Senate, by April 30.
Reform agriculture critic Elwin Hermanson said April 7 Reform does not plan to unduly delay, but it has amendments to propose and many MPs want to speak.
“We are not going to rubber stamp this flawed bill,” he said as the House resumed sittings after two weeks off. “If they think this can get through in a day, they are dreaming. I think they are looking at three or four days at least.”
The government’s crowded House agenda includes tobacco control laws, endangered species legislation and labor code amendments.
