The Conservative government has effectively eliminated the position of assistant grain commissioner from the Canadian Grain Commission.
Treasury Board president Stockwell Day announced March 8 that to cut costs, 245 government appointments to agencies and boards will not be made, essentially eliminating the positions.
Among the cuts were the six assistant commissioners now allowed for in the Canada Grain Act. Only the chief commissioner, assistant chief commissioner and commissioner positions, all held by appointees with Conservative connections, will remain government appointments at the commission.
The assistant commissioners have been based in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec to act as a liaison between the CGC and grain farmers including listening to producer complaints about their treatment in the regulatory system.
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Grain Commission communications official Rémi Gosselin said only five of the six positions have been filled in the past and they all have been vacant since 2008.
“The role of liaison with farmers and representation of farmers has since been taken by the commissioners and commission staff,” he said.
Farm Products Council of Canada also loses two of nine governor-in-council appointments, members of the nine-member council that have been vacant for several months.
Liberal agriculture critic Wayne Easter noted that the Conservatives proposed to eliminate the assistant commissioner position in controversial legislation introduced twice in previous sessions and never approved by Parliament. It faced strong political opposition.
“This is an end run around Parliament,” he said.
