The easy part is over for Willard Estey.
The retired Supreme Court justice this week submitted an interim report to federal transport minister David Collenette, completing the first phase of his review of the grain handling and transportation system.
Now it’s on to phase two, which promises to be much more challenging.
The interim report simply describes the issues identified by grain industry stakeholders and individual farmers during more than five months of consultations.
In the second phase of the review, which is to be completed by Dec. 31, Estey is to come up with solutions and make specific recommendations on the issues identified in the interim report.
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Neil Thurston, a spokesperson for the Grain Review Secretariat, said the group is ready to move into the next stage of the review.
“We’re planning on carrying on unless we hear otherwise from the department of transport, based on the wheat board case,” he said.
The status of phase two has been somewhat unclear while the Canadian Wheat Board pursues its level of service complaint against CP Rail before the Canadian Transportation Agency.
That case is wrapping up with final arguments this week, although a ruling won’t be handed down until this summer.
Heard from many
During the past five months, Estey and his support staff received more than 200 briefs and met with farmers, grain companies, producer associations, railways, the Canadian Wheat Board and provincial and local governments.
“I hope that we have heard from everyone who has anything to say, but we’ve left the door open if we haven’t,” said Thurston, noting that submission and briefs will still be accepted by the review commission.
He declined to comment on what is contained in the interim report.
It is up to the minister’s office to decide what to do with it, although Thurston said he hopes it will be made public soon.
The issues under review include such things as freight rates, rail line abandonment, elevator closures, competition between the railways, the role of the wheat board in transportation, the future of the St. Lawrence Seaway, the grain grading system and labor relations.
