Canada’s new Parliament opens Sept. 22 and the first glimpse of government priorities in its second term will come the next day, prime minister Jean ChrŽtien announced last week.
After an Aug. 27 cabinet meeting, he told reporters the Speech from the Throne to set the tone for the 36th Parliament since Confederation will be read by the Governor General Sept. 23.
Then, it will be down to business as the re-elected Liberals learn how to govern with a working majority of eight in the Commons.
It will be the first Parliament with five recognized political parties sharing the stage. It will be the Parliament in which the western-based Reform party takes its place as official opposition, the second-largest party with 60 MPs.
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Agriculture-related legislation expected to be debated during the winter session ranges from proposals on Canadian Wheat Board reform to labor code amendments and endangered species protection.
It is unlikely but still …
Some officials from the Liberal government have floated the idea this summer that the House of Commons agriculture committee should cease to be a separate committee.
Its MP members traditionally study agriculture legislation, question government officials on agricultural policy and hold public hearings on bills or policy proposals.
Instead, it would be amalgamated with the natural resources committee.
For the Liberals, the logic is simple.
With a slim House of Commons majority, the Liberals will be assigned nine seats on every committee. Seven would go to the combined opposition. One Liberal will be chair.
Pressure will be on the Liberal MPs to make sure they turn out to each committee, since one or two absent Liberals could create an opposition majority which could vote down government bills.
The fewer the committees, the less pressure on the Liberal caucus members.
However, when the idea was floated from Liberal planners to the Reform party opposition, it met resistance.
Combining agriculture and natural resources committees would dilute the one forum on Parliament Hill where agricultural issues still are aired regularly.
“How much time really would be made for agriculture when oil and gas, uranium and all other natural resources also would be on the agenda?” asked a Reform MP last week. “When they floated it, we said no. I don’t know if the Liberals will come back at it or not.”
Building for research
The Brandon Research Centre is getting a new $720,000 greenhouse.
The federal government last week announced awarding of a contract to build a 498 sq. metre greenhouse at the Agriculture Canada station.
It is to be completed in November.
Public works minister Alfonso Gagliano said it is to help the research centre do the new prairie land resource management work assigned to it in the reorganization of the Agriculture Canada research branch.
