OTTAWA — Bob Speller, the newly-elected chair of the Commons agriculture committee, says he expects the group to be an independent, aggressive force in agriculture policy-making.
Traditionally, Commons committees cause little trouble for majority governments because most members are from the governing party and take care to support its aims and applaud its actions.
In this Parliament, a combination of new members, different political parties, new issues and increased power for committees makes them less predictable and likely more willing to challenge the government.
“I don’t think the committee wants to get caught up in the Agriculture Canada agenda or the government’s agenda,” Speller said Feb. 10 after being elected committee chair. “We will set our own agenda.”
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MPs from the Liberal, Bloc QuŽbecois and Reform parties all suggested they will use their new-found freedom and forum to challenge Agriculture Canada performance, government assumptions and traditional policy directions.
“If at times the committee decides to do something at odds with government policy, I will not hesitate to reflect the committee decision as its chairman,” said Speller, a 37-year-old consultant who has represented a mixed rural/urban southern Ontario riding since 1988.
He said the committee likely will take a more questioning view of Agriculture Canada, which has usually been considered an objective source of information about the industry and policy development.
“I don’t want to pick a fight with the department,” he said, but many farmers and some MPs have questions about whether the department has been promoting the correct policies or offering the correct advice.
“We will use Agriculture Canada as a resource, but just one resource,” he said.
Speller was elected chair after being chosen by the government as its candidate. He was unopposed.
There was a vote among the 15 committee members for Opposition vice-chairman and BQ agriculture critic Jean-Paul Marchand won BQ and Liberal support over Reform Party MP Allan Kerpan.
At the first meeting, there was a hint of tension within the Liberal caucus.
One member of the committee is Lyle Vanclief, an Ontario MP who is parliamentary secretary to agriculture minister Ralph Goodale.
Wayne Easter, former president of the National Farmers Union and a Prince Edward Island MP, wondered aloud if Vanclief might be in conflict of interest in his role as a government representative and also a member of the newly-independent committee.
Vanclief defended himself, insisting that as a rural MP, he should not be considered in conflict in any of his activities.
Speller tried to calm Liberal waters in the face of an obviously-irritated Vanclief.
He said Easter wasn’t alleging conflict of interest. “He was putting a question forward as a new member.”
