OTTAWA – The plan to ‘commercialize’ ports and the St. Lawrence Seaway moves in the right direction but the government is botching some of the details, the owners of seaway cargo ships complained last week. Norman Hall, president of the Canadian Shipowners Association, told MPs the legislation fails in that it leaves in place the […] Read more
Stories by Barry Wilson
Shorter election campaigns, permanent voters’ list likely
OTTAWA – If the prime minister does not succumb to the temptations of high popularity ratings and call an early election before next summer, the next federal vote likely will take place under some new rules. The government last week announced plans to end pre-election enumeration through creation of a permanent voters’ list after one […] Read more
Tory view of rural mail service shown to be wrong
In the waning days of the Mulroney government, Harvey Andre loved to brag about what Canada Post was doing in rural Canada. it was closing post offices and contracting the service to local businesses and Andre was the minister in charge. Almost everyone approved of the changes, he would bellow at his opponents. The critics […] Read more
OTTAWA NOTEBOOK
OTTAWA – Government trade officials figure they finally have a farm support program immune to American trade challenge. In its latest review of Canada’s hog subsidies, the U.S. commerce department ruled the Net Income Stabilization Account program is not a subsidy liable for American challenge. It exempted NISA from its calculation of subsidies that create […] Read more
Reform policy calls for more competitive industry
OTTAWA – The Reform party launched its “fresh start” election campaign platform last week with promises of a leaner agriculture bureaucracy, more marketing choices for farmers and less government spending. A Reform government would make the Canadian Wheat Board voluntary, ending its export monopoly for both wheat and barley. It would encourage supply management farmers […] Read more
High grain prices buoy co-operatives
OTTAWA – The co-operative sector is booming in Canada, and nowhere more so than in Western Canada, the federal government reported last week. Last year’s soaring grain prices provided a solid boost for prairie grain handling and selling co-ops, according to the 1995 top 50 list of co-ops produced and published by Agriculture Canada. The […] Read more
Reform MPs use free trade signing to take shots at supply management
OTTAWA – On the eve of the Reform party’s release of the election platform it hopes will attract votes in rural and small town Ontario, two Reform MPs took some verbal shots at the supply management system considered an economic backbone in many Ontario ridings. During a House of Commons debate on a Canada-Israel free […] Read more
Gun control may work: study
OTTAWA – There is evidence that since the 1977 version of federal gun control legislation was enacted, gun-related crime, homicides and suicides have declined, according to a study released by the federal government. However, the authors of the justice department study say the evidence is not conclusive. The report likely will provide fodder for both […] Read more
B.C. man creates alpaca firestorm
OTTAWA – Seventeen years ago, Leon Barnett moved his wife and seven children from the hurley-burley of Oregon to the peace and beauty of Bella Coola, in northwestern British Columbia. He came for the peace, order, quiet and maybe good government of Canada. Now, this tool and die maker with a soft spot for living […] Read more
Farm debt mediation cheaper, but won’t work: Easter
OTTAWA – The government’s plan to change farm debt review boards into a mediation service faced more criticism last week from MPs who fear it will be less effective than existing programs. MPs from all parties complained it will offer too little help to farmers heading for financial problems. The new farm debt mediation act […] Read more
