Election manoeuvring
Last week, pre-election political manoeuvring continued.
Reform lost a Calgary MP to the world of special interest lobbying.
Stephen Harper, who had announced he would not stand for re-election, was introduced Jan. 14 as the new vice-president and heir-apparent of the conservative advocacy group, the National Citizens Coalition.
It promotes “more freedom through less government” and says it is non-partisan.
Meanwhile, Liberal leader Jean ChrŽtien announced the first wave of Liberal candidates to be chosen for the next election in ridings where a candidate was unopposed.
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Among the first announcements were a gaggle of prairie MPs, including Anne Mclellan and Judy Bethel in Edmonton, Morris Bodnar and Georgette Sheridan in Saskatoon and Ron Duhamel in St. Boniface, Man.
Corn producers critical
The political voice of the Ontario Corn Producers’ Association began 1997 much as it ended 1996 – critical of government, and particularly Ottawa.
In its January magazine, the association raised concerns about the declining and changing nature of farm safety nets.
First, it fretted about the demise of the Gross Revenue Insurance Program in most provinces and the pressure to dismantle it in Ontario.
The Net Income Stabilization Account program is a poor substitute, argued the corn producers’ lobby. It requires that farmers have money to attract government support.
“There is little apparent thought as to where this leaves Canadian and Ontario grain growers, relative to the farm bill-supported competitors a few miles away, when prices tumble once again,” it said.
As well, once NISA accounts start to grow, the public and political appetite to continue to support them might wane, the corn growers worried.
Still, when the lobby turned its attention to the expected 1997 election campaign, it did not see too many alternatives to the Liberals for Ontario’s rural voters.
The Progressive Conservatives have no known rural policies and the Reform party, while targeting rural Ontario, may have a tough time paying much attention to Ontario “without alienating its strong western base.”
The association did not even assess New Democratic Party policies as relevant.
“Does this mean a free ride for the Liberals?” it asked.
If the corn growers’ record of criticism is any indication, not likely.
