Producers hope the Liberals will listen to their concerns, despite the absence of elected Liberal MPs on the Prairies
Canadian farmers await the appointment of a new federal cabinet and the resumption of work on critical agricultural files now that the election is over.
One Saskatchewan organization is already calling on the re-elected Liberal government to scrap the carbon tax for beleaguered farmers.
The Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities has sent letters to the current finance and agriculture ministers saying that farmers using propane and natural gas have been hit with extraordinary grain drying costs this fall.
“They’re paying I think an unfair share of carbon tax for people that are really under the gun and not able to dry their grain any other way,” said president Ray Orb. “We’re asking the federal government to exempt Saskatchewan on that front.”
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The organization wants the tax removed from greenhouses and barns as well.
“We’re hoping that the federal government will listen to us because of the fact we don’t have a minister left in Saskatchewan or Alberta,” Orb said.
The Liberals, re-elected with a minority government Oct. 21, lost all their representation in the two prairie provinces. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he was not interested in forming a formal coalition with another party and would appoint a new cabinet Nov. 20. He has not set a date to recall Parliament.
Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau was re-elected in her Quebec riding and could retain the portfolio.
International Trade Minister Jim Carr was also returned in Manitoba but issued a statement late last week that, after feeling ill during the campaign, he had been diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a blood cancer that has affected his kidneys. He has begun treatment and it is unknown whether serving in cabinet is in the cards.
Farm organizations pledged to work with the government and all members of Parliament to resolve market access problems in China, India, Italy and other countries.
Grain Growers of Canada president Jeff Nielsen said the government has to be a willing partner with producers and stand up for agriculture.
The organization said all parties recognized the need for bankable risk management programs but the Liberals promised to increase support for those programs. GGC said it would “advocate for these commitments to be treated with urgency.”
GGC also said the Liberal commitment to a rules-based trading system is key to Canadian farmers gaining market access.
Canadian Federation of Agriculture president Mary Robinson said there is a lot of work to do.
“We have many Canadian agriculture issues that require swift and thoughtful political oversight, ranging from trade disruptions in key markets and business risk management tools to climate change mitigation and adaptation, and we hope that this new government will ensure that our sector is a top priority,” she said in a news release.
The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association had surveyed each party during the campaign and says it found alignment on policy objectives around trade, labour, BRM and regulatory burdens.
All organizations are planning meetings with the government and new MPs.
The Liberals won157 seats and the Conservatives took 121. The NDP emerged with 24 and the Green Party three, while one independent, Jody Wilson-Raybould, was elected in British Columbia. The Bloc Quebecois won 32 seats.
Voter turnout nationally was 66 percent. Saskatchewan voter turnout was the highest in the country at nearly 72 percent.
But the West voted strongly Conservative, with Saskatchewan voting blue in all 14 ridings. Alberta did the same in its 34 seats, with the exception of Edmonton Strathcona that remained NDP. In Manitoba, the distribution was seven Conservative, four Liberal and three NDP. And in B.C., voters chose 17 Conservatives, 11 Liberals, 11 New Democrats, two Greens and the single independent.
By the day after the vote, a strong feeling of western alienation had morphed into a social media-led call for separation.
The hashtag #wexit was trending on Twitter, while a Facebook page supporting the movement gained hundreds of thousands of followers and led the page administrator to call for a referendum.
The premiers of Alberta and Saskatchewan warned Trudeau of the growing problem.
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe wrote a letter to the prime minister asking him to cancel the carbon tax, implement a new equalization deal and push pipelines ahead.
He said he had never seen stronger feelings about western alienation, and the election result would not help.
“There is a fire burning here in the prairie provinces and what I am doing handing the prime minister this letter is handing him a fire extinguisher, and I’m asking him not to show up with a gas can,” he said, telling reporters he was a “frustrated federalist.”
Premier Jason Kenney in Alberta said residents of his province feel betrayed and tired. He also wants a new equalization agreement.
Wexit rallies are planned for Alberta next month.
