OTTAWA – The federal government has announced the abolition of 11 agricultural agencies or advisory boards and changes in the make-up of the Farm Debt Review Board system and the Canadian Dairy Commission.
It will mean that agriculture minister Ralph Goodale has 90 fewer part-time or full-time positions to fill with patronage appointments.
Taxpayers could save a million dollars. The number of appointments on farm debt review boards is being cut by close to 40 from the current 85, the government announced Dec. 21.
Boards ranging from the Agricultural Products Board to stabilization and meat import advisory committees will be abolished, eliminating another 50 cabinet or ministerial appointments.
Read Also
Anti-separatist movement targets rural Alberta
Former deputy premier Thomas Lukaszuk’s anti-separatism Alberta Forever Canada petition campaign expects to run full steam ahead into the province’s farming regions
An Agriculture Canada official said the end of those positions will save the government close to half a million dollars annually in expenses, plus the time of bureaucrats getting ready for meetings.
“With positions that have not been filled and the new announcements, there is probably an accrued saving of $1 million for the department,” said Lynden Johnson from the Agriculture Canada policy branch.
He said the change in Farm Debt Review Boards reflects the fact that there are fewer cases coming before the boards. However, the government still has not decided whether to keep the program, or in what form, after funding expires March 31.
Part-time positions
At the Canadian Dairy Commission, the vice-chair and commissioner will become part-time rather than full-time employees. The chair remains full-time.
The winding up of advisory committees and agencies reflects a government-wide effort to re-organize and to cut out waste, according to Marcel MassŽ, minister responsible for public service renewal.
Johnson said most of the affected agriculture-related committees either had lost their usefulness or will have their function transferred into the department.
The job of the Agricultural Products Board, which for decades has been stabilizing prices by buying and selling surpluses in perishable commodities, will now be taken over by Agriculture Canada officials.
The tripartite stabilization committees and Western Grain Stabilization Advisory Committee have lost their role since the programs were abolished.
The Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Advisory Committee was also deemed unnecessary.
