When a new session of Parliament opened Oct. 12, the throne speech was one of the longest in years but when it was over, critics were wondering why the Liberals had all but ignored agriculture.
Through 24 pages of government “vision” for the next two years, governor-general Adrienne Clarkson read about more money for the “knowledge society,” research and high technology.
Agriculture and rural Canada received two mentions.
“It is an economy in which rural Canada also benefits from value-added activity, environmentally astute land management and new job skills and opportunities,” said the speech, crafted by the prime minister’s office. “Indeed, it is an economy in which technology can lead to greater economic stability for the primarily rural regions in which cyclical resource industries – agriculture, fisheries, forestry, mining and tourism – are dominant sources of wealth.”
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Earlier in the speech, the government had promised to use world trade talks “to help build a more transparent, rules-based global trading system” to help export sectors like agriculture.
Opposition MPs noted the lack of reference to the farm income problem in the speech.
“What are the Liberals doing to get producers past the current farm income crisis?” asked chief Reform agriculture critic Howard Hilstrom. “It is apparent the answer is nothing.”
Veteran New Democrat MP Lorne Nystrom called the omission of the farm income issue “outrageous, a kick in the ass.”
Issue ignored
Alf Wagner, head of the Pro-West Rally Group, which led a delegation of farm lobbyists to Ottawa on the day of the throne speech, said it was a major disappointment. “It is obvious the government is not listening to us, since there wasn’t a word.”
The day after the speech, the Canadian Federation of Agriculture had Hilstrom and Liberal rural caucus chair Larry McCormick deliver pita bread to government and opposition lobbies beside the House of Commons.
The bread was in the form of a pie chart with a small slice taken out of each piece, representing the 5.6 percent of the price of bread that reaches farmers’ pockets.
“Producing abundant, affordable food used to make farmers proud,” said the CFA message to MPs. “Today, it’s making them broke.”
Liberals fought to defend the throne speech.
Winnipeg MP John Harvard said the government continues to work on solutions to the farm income issue. “Everything isn’t in the speech. It is just broad brush strokes.”
Andy Mitchell, junior minister for rural affairs, said Oct. 15 the government promise of better technology and communications for rural areas “can open new doors to all Canadians, tearing down the old barriers of distance or access and allow rural and urban communities the opportunity to compete globally.”
Even prime minister Jean ChrŽtien used his speech during the throne speech debate Oct. 13 to answer the critics, although he devoted just two lines to the issue.
He said the Liberals have a balanced economic program of spending, tax reductions and debt pay-down.
“It requires maintaining flexibility to meet urgent needs such as the problems in agriculture today in Western Canada,” he said to Liberal cheers and opposition hoots. “Contrary to the Reform party, this government is helping farmers with programs. It (the Reform Party) is against that. I hope the people will note that.”
