WINNIPEG — Representatives of the prairie grain industry welcomed a visit by the International Trade Commission last week as a chance to counter U.S. claims about Canada’s grain trading practices.
“I think its positive they came up here to see first hand how the Canadian grain industry works,” said Anders Bruun, corporate secretary for Manitoba Pool Elevators.
Three ITC commissioners met with Canadian Wheat Board officials, the Canadian Grain Commission and several grain company representatives in a 24-hour visit to Winnipeg .
Bruun, a member of the delegation from three grain companies that met with the ITC, said their questions gave Canadians a chance to refute allegations made in earlier testimony.
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“They asked some good questions,” he said.”Their questions were on the mark.”
Milt Wakefield, chief commissioner of the Canadian Grain Commission, said the ITC was interested in Canada’s grading policies.
One of the U.S. allegations is that Canada gains an edge in U.S markets by over-delivering on quality. “They seemed interested to know we don’t do anything different for them than we do for anyone else,” Wakefield said.
Facts will prove
Canadian Wheat Board spokesman Debra Harri said the more facts the ITC gathers, the more likely it is to rule in Canada’s favor.
ITC vice-chair Peter Watson said it was worth the trip: “The value was just adding additional depth of understanding,” he said. “Anytime you have the opportunity of getting additional information clearly is helpful to our process and it was just real useful to be able to be as informed as we can about how things operate here.”
Watson said it is sometimes difficult understanding the “subtleties and nuances” of another country’s grain marketing system. “Let’s just say we’ve been on a steep learning curve,” he said.
The commission expects to file its recommendations in late July.
