VICTORIA – Amid the usual claims of co-operation and progress that filter out of annual agriculture ministers’ meetings, there were signs last week of some tensions as several provincial ministers flailed at federal policies.
For Ottawa, the signals were mixed.
On some issues, there were complaints of too much federal interference. On others, the complaints were that Ottawa is pulling back too far.
From Saskatchewan and Manitoba, with support elsewhere, came complaints about federal spending cuts.
They centred on fears that Ottawa would pull out of the cost of reinsuring crop insurance programs, but warnings were broader.
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Manitoba minister Harry Enns complained outside the meeting that federal finance officials seem to be dictating agriculture policy.
He cited sharp increases in federal user fees for Agriculture Canada services as an example. “Here we are promoting trade and yet these fees are adding costs and making our products less competitive,” he said.
Saskatchewan’s Eric Upshall said the provinces cannot afford any more federal cuts.
“We have to make sure, and all the provinces were in agreement, that federal funding stays at traditional levels,” he said in an interview. “We are at bare bones right now.”
He also showed frustration that governments seem powerless to control rising farm input costs. The ministers agreed merely to have senior officials prepare a report for next year’s meeting on the input supply sector, including pricing policies.
“I suppose there is little a government can do in a market economy,” he said. “But we can act as a watchdog.”
Yet when the discussion turned to regulations, Alberta’s Walter Paszkowski made it clear he thinks the problem is too much government.
On two occasions, he told federal minister Ralph Goodale that Ottawa should deregulate the grain industry to let farmers take advantage of the market.
“We really have to deregulate the process to allow competitive forces to enact efficiencies,” he said in an interview.
The end of the western grain transportation act has not been accompanied by abolition of other regulations that hold farmers back from using the market to their best advantage, said Paszkowski. “Reforming the Canadian Wheat Board is part of that.”
Through it all, Quebec’s separatist minister Guy Julien was there to say he would co-operate in national policies like food inspection reform when it was useful and object when Quebec believes it is not receiving a fair share of largesse.
He also was keeping a wary eye to make sure no federal policies give Ottawa a chance to step on Quebec’s jurisdictional toes.
For Enns, the most experienced political veteran around the table, the mixed signals were business as usual.
“I know it sounds a little schizophrenic,” he said, “but that passes for the Canadian way of doing things.”
WP photo by Barry Wilson
Provincial agricultural ministers voiced concerns over program funding cuts, federal user fees, farm input costs and marketing regulations.
