The opposition majority on the House of Commons agriculture committee has passed a motion calling on the government to amend legislation to stop railways from arbitrarily closing producer car loading sites.
The motion is not binding, did not have the support of Conservative MPs and is vaguely written, allowing MPs to have different interpretation of what it means.
Conservative MPs on the committee tried to amend the motion, proposed by New Democrat Alex Atamanenko Nov. 16 during a private committee meeting, to have the committee or the government study the issue of producer cars and rules governing the railways’ right to close loading sites.
Opposition MPs defeated those motions, arguing that action, not a study, is needed. Conservative MPs abstained from the final vote.
The motion was tabled in the Commons Nov. 19 by chair Larry Miller. It reads: “That the committee recommend the government uphold the right of farmers to load producer cars and amend any necessary legislation to prohibit Canadian railway companies from arbitrarily closing down producer car loading sites.”
Miller, who was absent during the Nov. 16 committee debate, said he is not certain what the motion means.
“I’m not really clear because it is vague,” he said in an interview. “I don’t know if it is a feel-good thing or what.”
Liberal agriculture critic Wayne Easter said it is far from feel-good.
Current Canada Transportation Act rules allow abandonment of loading sites weeks after a railway announcement and without public hearings.
A CN Rail decision last year to abandon more than 50 little-used prairie sites drew farmer outrage, a private member’s bill from Saskatchewan Liberal Ralph Goodale and stern questions for the railway from all parties on the agriculture committee.
But the government has made no move to change the rules for loading site abandonment.
“We need more notice to give local communities and farmers a chance to organize a proposal to take it over of they want,” he said in a Nov. 19 interview. “I am not wedded to any particular time but we do need a timeline.”
Easter was critical of the Conservative attempt to delay action through a study.
“They wanted to delay this and then when it came to a vote that affects their constituents, they sat on their hands,” he said. “They are fearful of standing up to the railways or the government or both. I have never seen anything like this.”
