OTTAWA – The Liberal government will use its majority to cut off parliamentary debate on Canadian Wheat Board reforms this winter if the opposition tries to drag out the debate, says agriculture minister Ralph Goodale.
The government has a packed legislative agenda for the pre-election Commons session which began Sept. 16.
Amendments to the Canadian Wheat Board Act are expected to be introduced in October and will be allotted few parliamentary days.
“If a time allocation process is required, obviously it is available,” Goodale said in a Sept. 12 interview.
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For Reform party agriculture critic Elwin Hermanson, a government decision to stifle debate on such a crucial issue would be another reason to do battle.
“We have to have time to debate this thoroughly,” Hermanson said. “If they try to rush this through, we will resist. We need extensive hearings. I want to be able to take whatever they propose back to my constituents for their reaction.”
Reform MPs say they are planning to use the debate for a broad attack on the government’s handling of the wheat board issue. MPs with responsibility for agriculture, justice and trade issues will lead the attack, probably joined by leader Preston Manning.
Both Goodale and his Reform critic say the wheat board issue will be the major agricultural debate of the Commons session.
There will be other debates, however. Goodale said the government will act on “a number of big ticket items.”
MPs are expected to debate, and eventually approve, legislation to:
- Revise and amalgamate a number of federal farm products marketing programs into one national program. The centrepiece will be establishment of new national rules for the cash advance program, including tougher enforcement provisions for defaulters.
- Revamp the farm debt review board system, converting it to a more mediation-oriented process.
- Create a new national food inspection agency.
- Commercialize the St. Lawrence Seaway by turning over operations of the waterway to a coalition of seaway users.
If legislation is needed to implement new farm income safety net agreements, it also will be introduced.
