OTTAWA – Some farm leaders were breathing a sigh of relief last week as they learned Saskatchewan lawyer Ralph Goodale retained his job as federal agriculture minister, despite a massive cabinet shuffle.
However, Goodale was given a stronger government presence by being appointed chair of the cabinet economic development policy committee.
He has been chair of an ad hoc cabinet committee on jobs and there had been persistent rumors he would be moved to a more senior economic portfolio.
“Overall, I think this is good for us,” Canadian Federation of Agriculture president Jack Wilkinson said after the Jan. 25 shuffle. “He knows us. We know him. He knows the issues. A new minister would have required a lot of time just to get up to speed.”
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He said farmers will have to make sure his broader economic role does not deflect his attention from agriculture.
Murray Bryck of Saskatchewan Wheat Pool, speaking for Prairie Pools Inc., which represents all three prairie pools, echoed those sentiments.
“We have had a good relationship with Mr. Good-ale, although we certainly have not agreed with everything he has done,” said Bryck, executive assistant to the Sask Pool president.
“But he has a good understanding of the agri-food issues. We can get on with them now.”
Rumors of a shuffle for Goodale had swirled in Ottawa, and as far afield as the Winnipeg Commodity Exchange, for months. Then Goodale cancelled a scheduled Jan. 25 federal-provincial agriculture ministers conference in Toronto just before the shuffle, increasing speculation about a change.
“They were strong a few months ago but about a month ago, we began to hear that he wanted to stay,” said Wilkinson.
Goodale was one of the few senior ministers not to be moved by prime minister Jean ChrŽtien in what was described as the creation of the cabinet team that will carry the government into the next election, expected in two years.
Senior ministers AndrŽ Ouellet of foreign affairs and Roy MacLaren of international trade retired to be given plum posts by ChrŽtien. Ouellet becomes chair of the board at Canada Post and MacLaren will go to London as High Commissioner.
Wilkinson said Goodale likely kept the job he wanted because he has kept the government out of trouble through what could have been politically explosive policy changes.
“He has been able to sail through with relative ease. You’d almost think the government could have used him in some other hot department where they want to cut,” he said.
