Federal agriculture minister Gerry Ritz says legislation to end the Canadian Wheat Board’s single desk on barley has been put on hold.
During a Dec. 22 interview with a Yorkton, Sask., radio station, the minister responsible for the CWB was asked whether the government plans to introduce legislation to deal with the CWB marketing issue
“It’s off the table for the short term,” he said, according to a transcript of the interview prepared by Prairie Media Watch Ltd. “We’ll have to assess that as we move forward.
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A spokesperson for Ritz confirmed the accuracy of the transcript. She added the minister would make no further comment.
During the same interview, Ritz was asked about the results of the board’s recent director elections.
Four of the five candidates elected were supporters of the single desk marketing system and opponents of the government’s plan to bring in an open market.
“Well, farmers have spoken,” said Ritz, who went on to praise the 53 percent of eligible farmers who voted and condemn those who didn’t.
He added the results seem to indicate farmers want the single desk to be maintained.
“We recognize that at this time and place, this is what farmers are asking for and we’ll certainly work to make sure that the board delivers for them in the best way possible,” Ritz said.
CWB chair Larry Hill welcomed Ritz’s comments.
“I’m pleased to hear him say that he will respect the democratic process and accept that farmers have spoken in terms of their respect for the single desk,” Hill said Dec. 30.
“The elections provided a clear choice, the candidates had clear positions and the results were quite clear.”
He said the minister seemed to express agreement with the board’s position that decisions about the future of the marketing agency should be made by farmers through the CWB’s democratic structure.
Kevin Bender, president of the Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association, said he was disappointed, but not surprised, by Ritz’s comments about legislation.
“I guess they have bigger issues to deal with in Ottawa right now than this,” he said, adding even the future of the government is uncertain.
He said the association will continue to lobby for change.
National Farmers Union president Stewart Wells said Ritz’s words taken at face value are encouraging for single desk supporters.
“I think ‘off the table’ is something different from what they have said,” he said.
But at the same time, Wells said he will judge the minister and the government by their actions, not their words.
“It would be nice to see something concrete to back up the words.”
He said the minister could drop the government’s appeal of a Federal Court decision that found Ottawa’s 2006 gag order on the CWB to be illegal, and pledge to support the CWB in world trade talks.
Meanwhile, the CWB last week issued a News release
news noting the 10th anniversary of farmer control of the grain marketing agency.
On Jan. 1, 1999, the board’s operations were taken over by a 15-member board that included 10 elected farmers.
Hill, a member of that original board, said it has been a period of tremendous change for the CWB, with more flexibility, more payment, pricing and delivery options and other improvements including performance benchmarks, new farm management services and incentives for farmer-owned processing and niche marketing.
