Despite ever-present decentralization pressures in Canada, the federal government must maintain a strong role in national agricultural policy, says agriculture minister Lyle Vanclief.
Too much provincial control would be bad for the industry.
“Definitely, there is a role for a strong federal presence,” Vanclief said in an interview. “I don’t think we need to endanger ourselves through balkanization of the industry.”
He said Ottawa has the role of ensuring that equity exists for farmers across the country. It also must oversee the industry to make sure provinces do not get into subsidy bidding competitions or trade wars.
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That is why in the safety net scheme, Ottawa insists on national standards for the whole-farm income protection program and crop insurance while giving provinces some leeway in how they design their companion programs.
“I think that is the best of both worlds,” he said. Provinces can design programs for their own conditions and yet Ottawa’s cost-sharing gives it the clout to make sure provinces are not unfairly buying production share or subsidizing production.
The pressure for decentralization of agricultural policy power comes both from the provinces and the political arena.
The Reform party, now the official opposition in Parliament, advocates turning most responsibility for agriculture over to the provinces.
And several provincial governments, notably Alberta and Quebec, have argued that Ottawa should turn over its share of companion program funding without strings attached.
For Vanclief, it is an unacceptable proposal.
“I said very clearly at the federal-provincial meeting that I am in no way, shape or form in favor of block funding,” he said. “We could quickly move into a situation of province against province. We have been there. We don’t want to go back.”
