Industry optimistic Conservative officials say good times for industry mean there is little urgency for new policy
CALGARY — The governing Conservative party is the main political representative of rural and agricultural Canada outside of Quebec, yet delegates at the party’s weekend convention spent little time on rural-specific issues.
When he addressed delegates Nov. 1, prime minister Stephen Harper made no reference to future government goals for agriculture and just two specific references to government accomplishments that directly affect rural: ending the CWB monopoly and the long-gun registry.
Both drew lusty cheers from delegates.
The next day, during the final day of public delegate policy debate aimed at influencing the 2015 Conservative election platform, agriculture was not mentioned.
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Two agricultural resolutions submitted did not make it to the convention floor.
One was a proposal to end supply management, which was defeated in a closed policy workshop.
The other, from New Brunswick, was a generic statement calling for government to place a high priority on making the food supply “safe, secure and sustainable.” It also said government should ensure clear and accurate ingredient labelling, country-of-origin labels and “more rigorous safety testing of imported food products.”
The economic policy workshop did not choose to send it to the general convention as a priority.
Conservatives insisted nothing should be read into the absence of agricultural debate.
Saskatchewan Conservative MP David Anderson said it simply reflected the fact that the industry is happy.
“Prices are good, crops are phenomenal, people are happy,” said the southwestern Saskatchewan farmer.
“Resolutions often deal with problems.”
Agriculture minister Gerry Ritz said policies affecting farmers go far beyond specific agriculture items. Trade, labour mobility, infrastructure and tax policy all affect producers.
However, he agreed the current boom in most farm sectors makes policy reform less of an urgent issue for farmers and party delegates, many of whom are farmers.
“I’m getting calls from farmers that I’m going to pay too much in tax so what are you going to do?” said Ritz.
“We’re seeing the agricultural sector across the country enjoying some good times, a long time coming for some of them.”
Canadian Federation of Agriculture president Ron Bonnett, a convention observer, responded that while prices and incomes in agriculture are good now, governments should remember the industry is cyclical.
“I think that good times are when you should be looking at what could need fixing in the future,” he said.
“There are a number of issues that planning is needed on: risk management for instance, and the whole research agenda that does not seem to be a real focus at the moment.”
Alberta Conservative MP Leon Benoit said the general party and delegate view was that they didn’t need to debate something that is working.
“Why would there be debates on the industry?” he said.
“We’ve done a lot, and agriculture is in good shape. Where I’m from, getting rid of the (CWB) monopoly millstone and opening up value added has been a huge boost. Farmers are not asking for anything now.”
