REGINA (Staff) – The same party is in power, but the Saskatchewan government will have to act quickly and competently if it hopes to successfully deal with challenges to the farm economy, say agriculture industry spokespersons.
“Good times do not always prevail in Saskatchewan,” said Saskatchewan Wheat Pool president Leroy Larsen, highlighting the desire of farmers to work out a long-term safety net program. “We certainly need a fall-back position.
“We want a long-term commitment from the federal government, from the provincial government, so that we know what the program is going to look like,” Larsen said.
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Producers need to be assured, through a viable safety net, that they will be supported in the future. Then they can make good decisions today, said Larsen.
A revitalized crop insurance program is essential to “make sure the programs that are available to the farmer are suitable to the type of farming they do now because of the diversification and the diversity of crops they grow now.”
Larsen and Sinclair Harrison, president of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities, said the returned government will have to take seriously the effects of the changes to rail transportation, which could transform rural Saskatchewan.
“We need to know what the road system of the future is going to look like and who’s going to pay for it,” said Harrison. Since branch line protection is disappearing this year, the government doesn’t have time for delay.
While the New Democratic Party government has been willing to work on rural issues, Harrison said the two most important government people SARM deals with, the municipal government minister and the agriculture minister, will both be new.
Agriculture minister Darrel Cunningham lost his seat as did municipal government minister Carol Carson.
Want to meet new minister
Harrison said those portfolios are two of the most demanding in government and SARM wants to meet the new ministers soon after they are chosen.
“We will have to spend a significant amount of time to get those individuals up to speed” on the issues SARM feels are important, Harrison said.
Premier Roy Romanow is expected to name a new cabinet soon, perhaps this week, but it is unclear who will fill the positions. There is a possibility Romanow will shrink the cabinet, and departments like agriculture and municipal government could be folded into other ministers’ responsibilities, said government sources.
Harrison would not comment on the election campaign of any of the parties, but Larsen said he was disappointed agriculture was so low in the profile of election issues.
