The Liberals have missed another deadline for getting Canadian Wheat Board reform legislation through Parliament and partisans from both sides of the divisive debate say it is a boost for critics of the board.
It means farmer elections for the board of directors will not be held until late 1998 after harvest, thwarting the dreams of those who wanted spring elections and the revamped board working by Aug. 1, 1998.
And it means another full year of bitter debate before the results of board reform are evident.
“I think there is no doubt a delay will work against him (CWB minister Ralph Goodale) and in our favor,” said Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association vice-president Kevin Archibald, of Killarney, Man. “The longer it goes on, and with markets softening, farmers will become more frustrated with the status quo.”
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NDP agriculture spokesperson Dick Proctor, who supports the government legislation despite what he sees as flaws, agreed the delay will help the critics.
“It is puzzling why the government allowed this to bog down,” he said. “It shows the minister missing another deadline. That hurts credibility. And it gives the opponents more time to organize and agitate. It cannot help.”
The legislation remains stuck in the House of Commons, displaced by higher priorities and needing at least a day or more of additional debate time before it can be approved and sent to the Senate.
Reform MPs used up most of the two days allotted to the debate in mid-November to talk about the bill’s flaws and their proposed amendments. That part of the process remains unfinished and part of a day will be taken with final, third reading debate.
Because the government did not push the bill through, it will not be approved before Parliament adjourns Dec. 12 for Christmas. Parliament does not reassemble until Feb. 2.
Wheat board minister Ralph Goodale, who has promoted the idea of holding spring elections for the new CWB board of directors, now said elections will have to be put off until after harvest next fall, likely in November or early December 1998. The board would then take office by the end of December, with little time to prepare.
He rejected the idea that the Liberals are responsible for failing to get the reforms through Parliament.
“The opposition has delayed a very important democratic opportunity for farmers and they’ll have to account to farmers for why farmers are being prevented from taking democratic control,” he said.
Reform agriculture critic Jay Hill said his party is simply trying to speak about flaws in the bill.
Progressive Conservative critic Rick Borotsik said he doubts the government ever expected to pass the bill in time for spring elections.
“I think it was a tool they used to put pressure on to get it through.”
