The Canadian Federation of Agriculture held its annual meeting in
Halifax Feb. 26-March 1. Western Producer reporter Barry Wilson filed
these stories. See page 103 for more coverage.
The MP who chairs the Liberal caucus task force on the future of
agriculture says the group will tell prime minister Jean Chrétien this
month that farmers need more money now.
Ontario Liberal Bob Speller told the Canadian Federation of Agriculture
annual meeting March 1 that the task force agrees with farmers who
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argue that long-term planning is fine, but short-term funding is needed
during the transition.
“There is an urgency here,” Ontario Federation of Agriculture president
Jack Wilkinson told Speller during a panel discussion on future
agriculture policy.
“I couldn’t agree more,” Speller replied.
The task force supports the development of long-term policy, but “farm
income and the dollars going to farmers are first and foremost. We
(will) make specific proposals in this area.”
Speller told the convention that the task force, due to make a final
report to the prime minister by the end of the year, will submit an
interim report by the end of March.
In an interview, he said the MPs will insist that the government must
deal with “some structural issues” that includes more money.
“I can’t tell you how much we’ll be recommending.”
The CFA offered a suggestion.
Delegates approved a motion, proposed by the Agricultural Producers’
Association of Saskatchewan, that CFA lobby for government help “to
mitigate the subsidy imbalance re: grains and oilseeds” in the years
before a new long-term national farm policy is established.
CFA president Bob Friesen and other CFA leaders said the annual impact
for Canadian farmers of U.S. subsidies is $1.2 billion, according to
Agriculture Canada figures.
Friesen said that gap exists because the federal government signed a
World Trade Organization agreement in 1994 that has allowed the U.S. to
subsidize at higher rates than Canada.
“The Canadian government signed it and this is a consequence,” Friesen
said, citing an Agriculture Canada report attributing 25 percent of the
subsequent grain price drop to foreign subsidies.
“I think they have an obligation to offset that cost which has been
imposed on us.”
However, CFA delegates received some mixed signals from Liberals.
While Speller said his task force will be asking for more farm aid, New
Brunswick MP Charles Hubbard, chair of the House of Commons agriculture
committee, warned there is little appetite in Ottawa for increased
spending.
“The idea that someone in government is going to put another $2 billion
or $4 billion into the process is not very practical,” he said.
“I’m not sure the planners out there are willing to open up their
purses.”
Hubbard told delegates they have to be specific in describing the need
and who needs it.
