OTTAWA – Grain industry leaders will get their first look next week at how the government plans to ensure railways haul grain efficiently.
At an Oct. 12 Saskatoon meeting with industry representatives, federal agriculture minister Ralph Goodale is planning to produce draft regulations that would subject the railways to penalties, if they do not efficiently deliver the grain they have available.
The 10-year-old Western Grain Transportation Act has provision for railway penalties in the event of under-performance, but regulations to implement them have never been prepared.
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After last year’s grain delivery problems, Goodale promised action. He will produce results when he next meets the group of industry, railway and union representatives called together regularly by Goodale to discuss performance.
In the House of Commons last week, Goodale promised Reform MP Jake Hoeppner that he plans action, both with regulations and with legislation this fall to penalize shippers abusing the system.
He made the comments after Hoeppner complained that while the government is fining farmers who break the Canadian Wheat Board Act by selling grain directly into the U.S., the railways are violating the WGTA without penalty.
“Would the minister explain … who is running this country, the railways or the Liberal government,” said the Manitoba MP.
Goodale said rules to force the railways to live up to their obligations are imminent.
“(Hoeppner) can rest assured that there is no double standard,” he said.
