It almost certainly won’t be passed by summer but the government is considering unveiling its plans for Canadian Grain Commission reform by June.
Agriculture minister Chuck Strahl said recently the government has been preparing amendments to the Canada Grains Act in response to a consultant’s report and one from the Commons agriculture committee.
They could include replacing the existing commissioner and assistant commissioner system with a more typical business structure headed by a president or chief executive officer and several vice-presidents.
“A lot of work has been going on behind the scenes and I think it is important that we move ahead on this quickly,” he said April 18.
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“I’m hoping we can bring it forward and get this next change in what I think is the necessary evolution of the grain handling system into Parliament.”
With just 10 weeks left before Parliament rises for the summer, it is unlikely the bill will be debated extensively before the recess.
In a report to Parliament April 16, Strahl said the government is committed to seeing the kernel visual distinguishability feature of the registration system phased out by 2010.
He promised a plan to make sure the Canadian Grain Commission has sustainable funding.
The report rejected a committee recommendation that an Office of Grain Farmer Advocacy with six commissioners deployed in different regions should be created independent of the CGC.
“There is some question about whether creation of an independent Office of Grain Farmer Advocacy would be the best means to ensure these needs (of representing farmers) are met,” said the government response to the agriculture committee report.
“In particular, it is unclear how a government-funded advocacy office would co-exist with existing general farm organizations that advocate on behalf of grain and other farmers.”
Strahl suggested he is interested in the proposal for a change in CGC governance that came from the committee.
It would end the decades-old system of assistant commissioners located in different prairie provinces to hear local concerns.
“It’s an option I’m looking at,” he said. “In discussions with the industry, I’m getting two sides to that, but that was recommended by (the consultant) Compas and endorsed by the committee, so it is getting a very serious look by the department.”
The government is looking for the right balance that will serve farmers and also make the commission more efficient and effective, Strahl said.
“It is not as critical in my opinion to have a commissioner from a certain town because nowadays with communications, people know the issues and it is just a matter of having an opportunity to make representations on the issue of the day.”
