Federal agriculture minister Ralph Goodale has finally made a decision on the future of the Canadian Wheat Board. Unfortunately for the industry, what it appears the minister has done is make a decision not to make a decision.
Goodale, while he can think well on his feet and is a master of the snappy comeback, does not like to make decisions quickly. He is a thoughtful individual who likes to gather all the facts before venturing into uncharted territory.
This way of working often makes him appear indecisive rather than thorough and thoughtful.
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His decision to hold a plebiscite on barley marketing was probably the worst one he could have made at this time. If he were going to hold a vote, he didn’t need the Western Grain Marketing Panel.
Having had the Marketing Panel, Goodale has put himself in a bad light politically where appearances count for so much. The appearance is that he didn’t get the answer he wanted from the panel so he’ll try again, this time turning to farmers.
Some say that’s where he should have turned in the first place.
The question, of course, is if farmers don’t give him the answer he wants, where does he have left to turn?
This is, after all, his second time of turning to farmers. After the panel report was issued, Goodale delayed a decision by saying he wanted farmers’ input on the recommendations and asked farmers to write to him.
Did he not get the answer he wanted, and he’s going to try again, or did he get the answer he wanted and he feels he’s on safe ground holding a vote?
Or, one could be crass and say the minister is stalling.
Whatever decision is made won’t be popular with about half of Western farmers. If it can be put off until spring and a supposed election time it would then likely languish until after the polling day.
The decision to change the way the Wheat Board is governed is no surprise, but the way of going about it – appointing the first board, then letting farmers vote on the next – shows a decided lack of confidence in the constituency.
Pity poor Ralph. From day one, he has been in a no-win situation.
Depending on what he did, he would either have all of the farmers mad at him or just half.
He decided to go for broke and take all.
The weather isn’t the only thing that will be nasty in the country this winter.
