The two names most important to Bob Ballantyne’s lobbying job didn’t ring a bell last week when the new federal cabinet was announced.
Prime minister Stephen Harper named Quebec MP Denis Lebel as minister of transport, infrastructure and communities and Winnipeg MP Steven Fletcher as minister of state for transport.
Neither has significant experience on transport issues nor on shipper complaints about rail service.
“I haven’t met either of them so I can’t say too much and I don’t know what to make of it,” said Ballantyne, chair of the Coalition of Rail Shippers.
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It could signal a setback for the government’s March promise to start implementing recommendations of the Rail Freight Service Review panel, key among them being legislation to give rail freight customers the right to have a service agreement with railways guaranteeing service.
Alberta MP and farmer Rob Merrifield, former minister of state for transport, had been given responsibility for implementing the Rail Freight Service Review recommendations by former transport minister Chuck Strahl, who retired at the last election.
“We thought Merrifield would move the file forward,” Ballantyne said.
Instead, Harper dropped him from cabinet.
“If Merrifield had continued on, there would be continuity and certainly on the surface, that would seem to be a good thing.”
The rail shippers’ lobby will now have to find out what the new ministers know about the issue and the fate of promises to move forward quickly.
Merrifield had announced in March a six-month facilitation process with shippers, railways and others to negotiate a template service agreement and improved dispute resolution process, followed by legislation to give shippers a right to a service agreement.
However, the government fell, an election was called and the six-month commitment fell off the table.
The issue now has new ministers with much to learn about a vast portfolio and little direct contact with captive shippers. Ballantyne suggested the transport department bureaucracy could play a role in providing the continuity needed to get new ministers up to speed.
Agriculture minister Gerry Ritz said he will also pay attention to the rail service file to make sure agriculture is well represented on a yet to be appointed advisory committee.
“His involvement brings some continuity as well,” said Ballantyne.
Still, he predicted that nothing will happen to begin implementing the service review recommendation until at least autumn.
Lebel’s riding includes a Rio Tinto Alcan plant that is a captive shipper, so he may have some experience with the issue. Alcan is part of the Coalition of Rail Shippers.
Fletcher was elected in 2008 is an engineer with experience in the mining industry.
