QUEBEC CITY – As he sat before reporters last week demanding that the federal government send more cash west to help hurting farmers, Manitoba premier Gary Doer insisted the Prairies are looking for a “one time only” cash injection.
Farmers need a federal cheque within weeks to get a crop into the ground, he said.
Unlike an ongoing need in health care, agriculture can do with a quick fix taken out of this year’s federal surplus.
What is needed is “a short-term cash advance to farmers before seeding,” he said. “We can deal with that in this year’s surplus.”
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Earlier, Saskatchewan premier Roy Romanow had shown charts indicating his province’s farm economy in a negative income position from 2001 through 2003.
After the news conference, both premiers were asked if their request really is for a one-time cash injection.
If federal minister Lyle Vanclief came up with the $1.3 billion Saskatchewan and Manitoba have demanded, would they sign a pledge that this is a one-time, short-term cash advance that would preclude them from asking for more next year?
Both hedged their bets.
“We know we have a crisis going into the crop year,” said Doer.
What about next year?
“There is no guarantee,” he said. “If you can guarantee commodity prices, you shouldn’t be a reporter.”
Romanow was equally non-committal.
“If we can get an injection of funds now as farmers are planning to seed, let’s see what happens next year,” he said.
“I don’t know anyone who can forecast. Who knows what happens with respect to crops and prices?”
Romanow said the agreement among premiers did not limit federal farm support to one year.
