Paul Martin, the leading contender to become the next federal Liberal leader in November and prime minister in February 2004, says improved prairie rail competition, more research dollars and capital for value-adding ventures will fix what ails agriculture.
Martin said he gets many of his agriculture policy ideas from veteran Saskatoon Liberal Red Williams, a 78-year-old retired animal husbandry professor.
“We need to show real support and real respect for our farmers and their families, to show our appreciation for the burden they carry in contributing to Canada’s growth and wealth,” Martin said in a statement issued from his campaign headquarters in Ottawa.
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“A new policy framework is certainly required to help transform Canada’s rural economy into a more durable, less vulnerable and more prosperous foundation.”
However, he limited his promises to three items and provided little detail.
A member of Martin’s campaign team, speaking for background, said the leadership candidate is deliberately cautious because he does not want to undermine efforts of the current government of Jean Chrétien.
She said Martin wanted to signal to farmers that he knows about their issues and will deal with them when he is in power.
“He’s sensitive to the circumstance in which he discusses policy and given that a number of these issues are under discussion, including the APF, he’d like to see that continue and should they not be able to resolve their differences, then he may turn to it in more detail,” said the campaign aide.
Even the promises he is prepared to make lack detail.
During a leadership debate in Edmonton May 3, Martin said he supports the call for joint running rights on prairie rail lines used to haul grain. It was in part a signal to MPs in the Liberal caucus who were angered in March when transport minister David Collenette did not include expanded running rights guarantees in his new national transportation policy.
However, Martin still is silent on the key issue of whether a railway using another company’s track could pick up grain along the line. His campaign aide said she could not clarify the details.
Martin said he would spend more money on agricultural research, particularly on pulse varieties. Increased research spending also is a feature of the agricultural policy framework.
And he said he will consider William’s suggestion that a venture capital fund be established for agriculture.
In fact, the current government and Martin’s leadership rival, finance minister John Manley, already have taken some steps in that direction. With $20 million from Ottawa over two years, Farm Credit Canada has launched a $50 million venture capital fund for value-adding enterprises.
