The federal government stood on shifting sands last week as a cabinet minister tried to explain why Ottawa was not represented at a March 6 farm rally in Regina.
Speaking in the House of Commons March 8, Canadian Wheat Board minister Ralph Goodale said it was because both he and agriculture minister Lyle Vanclief were unavailable due to travel.
Goodale was in Washington, D.C., and Vanclief was leaving for Japan.
“The organizers of the committee (rally) made it absolutely clear that the only persons who would be acceptable in terms of representing the government would be the minister of agriculture or myself,” Goodale said.
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“Unfortunately, in the circumstances, both of us were fighting for farmers elsewhere.”
Regina New Democrat Dick Proctor, who asked the question, soon had contradictory evidence.
Rally organizer Sharon Nicholson of Big Beaver, Sask., faxed invitations she had sent to deputy agriculture minister Frank Claydon, inviting him or assistant deputy minister Doug Hedley to attend in place of Vanclief.
“It is truly important that you attend to let the farmers of Saskatchewan know that your office has not abandoned them in this most crucial time,” she wrote to Claydon.
Both Claydon and Hedley said they could not or would not attend.
By Wednesday, copies of the letters in hand, Proctor was on his feet again in the Commons, asking Goodale to concede that his first answer was not correct and then to “apologize to farmers and rally organizers for the federal government’s no-show last Saturday.”
Goodale changed his story.
Ministers had been the rally organizers’ preference, he said, and they were not available.
“I understand that on other occasions, the organizers had indicated that deputies were acceptable replacements, but in fact, I was referring to the elected part of the government,” said Goodale.
Proctor plowed on, suggesting the minister was contradicting himself. Which statement was correct?
“The point is not really to argue about the substance of any particular meeting,” replied Goodale. “The point is to develop a program that will provide meaningful assistance to Canadian farmers struggling with a difficult situation. That is why the government has put $900 million on the table.”
