The post-harvest November period will bring a crop of federal politicians to the Prairies.
On Oct. 4, members of the House of Commons agriculture committee met in private session to plan a week or two of hearings in the West next month.
After the meeting, Ontario Liberal MP and committee vice-chair Murray Calder said in an interview the trip will likely take place in early November. Financing and length of the trip still have to be worked out.
“I imagine that what the committee will be trying to unearth is how our farm policy is working right now.
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“I think it is a reality that new ad hoc money will be very difficult to get so I want to make sure that every dollar committed to the agriculture department and agriculture programs is triggered and spent.”
Calder said committee members likely will hear little new when they hold public hearings on the Prairies. Farm leaders already have appeared on Parliament Hill to report on the effect of low prices and inadequate farm incomes.
“There will be a sameness to the message, that prices stink on ice,” said the MP.
But it will be important to hear the evidence directly from farmers who are not elected leaders and who do not have the money to fly to Ottawa to visit politicians on their parliamentary turf.
“I expect we will see more directly the evidence and that is important.”
