MONTREAL – Delegates to the Liberal Party convention embraced the idea of adding to federal cabinet a full-time minister of rural affairs and starting a fund to invest in rural industries.
During their years in government, the Liberals designated a junior minister responsible for rural affairs but he always worked within the Agriculture Canada structure.
A “priority” resolution approved by delegates Nov. 30 said the focus of Agriculture Canada is too narrow to reflect broader rural concerns.
“Rural policy is more than agricultural policy and we believe this must be better reflected in national structures of Canadian governance,” said the resolution that will be considered advice to the party for the next election platform, but not binding policy.
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“If this country is to move forward economically, both urban and rural sectors must move forward and on the rural side, we need better co-ordination of policy,” said Prince Edward Island MP and party agriculture critic Wayne Easter as he moved the motion.
“To do that, we need a rural minister in charge.”
The political move came just days after an expert told the Senate agriculture committee studying rural poverty that more federal structures are not the key to developing more effective rural policies.
Many issues causing malaise in rural Canada, including housing, labour, economic development and working with local governments, are considered provincial issues.
David Freshwater, a Canadian rural policy specialist who works as director of graduate studies for agricultural economics at the University of Kentucky, said jurisdiction can pose a problem.
“For a national government in the Canadian context, that is tricky because local government is provincial. “The only way you can do effective rural development is to sit down with the provinces and say you have the mandate,” said Freshwater.
He said the provinces must be told that “we know this is a problem. We will help you do this but you have to be leaders in this process.”
The party also is calling for establishment of a rural economic development fund to support new business ventures in small communities.
Easter told delegates that it will help the party regain credibility in rural Canada, its weakest electoral base.
Delegates also approved a policy that the federal government should support development of biofuels, wind and solar power energy sources as ways to promote rural economic development.
