WINNIPEG – Ralph Goodale faces some tough questions this week as he huddles for two days with provincial agriculture ministers in his first full-fledged federal-provincial agriculture minister’s meeting since taking office last November.
The toughest questions will relate not to his own performance, but the loose talk or actions of some of his federal cabinet colleagues.
Can Ottawa be trusted to pick up its share of future farm safety net costs? Reports from finance department officials last week (denied by Agriculture Canada) suggested big spending cuts are being demanded of the agriculture department.
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Is Ottawa being up-front when it insists no final decision has been made on the grain transportation subsidy? Transport minister Doug Young has said by next year, there will be no transportation subsidy paid to the railways.
In trade talks with the Americans, is Ottawa prepared to stand firm and not allow a commodity important to one region to be traded off against a commodity important to another region?
On all these questions, Goodale is expected to be cautious and reassuring.
How to handle tough issues
Provincial ministers said before the meeting they are looking for answers to questions about how Ottawa will make the tough decisions needed in the next year on supply management reform, grain transportation and farm safety nets.
Yet they also were willing to give Goodale the initial benefit of the doubt.
“Mr. Goodale has been extremely sensitive in calling us and keeping us informed on these issues and we appreciate that,” said Manitoba minister Harry Enns. He and other provincial ministers met for three hours July 4 in preparation for the July 5 meeting with Goodale.
“But the question of money and cost-sharing hangs over this meeting because we all have to start thinking about our budgets. We can’t really design a safety net program if we’re not sure how much Ottawa really will commit. The reports out of Ottawa have been disturbing.”
