It didn’t matter that Saskatchewan’s premier and agriculture minister had virtually no input on the design of the federal farm aid package. Delegates to the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities denounced them for it anyway.
“Who in blazes does get it? Those who don’t need it,” fumed Joseph Cummins, reeve of the Rural Municipality of Blucher, at SARM’s annual convention.
During a bearpit session with the premier and his cabinet ministers, delegate after delegate rose to the microphone to denounce the design of the federal farm aid program.
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One said the province’s share of the program should be put into roads rather than paid out to farmers.
Agriculture minister Eric Upshall said the federal government wouldn’t allow that.
Arlynn Kurtz of the RM of Fertile Belt said the province should instead come up with an acreage-based aid program. Dan Kachur of Wolverine said the government needs to reinstate the Crow Benefit and bring back the two-price system.
Premier Roy Romanow tried to explain to delegates that Saskatchewan not only didn’t design the program, it also didn’t like it.
“We argue that the program is itself flawed,” said Romanow. “We do not think that it is well thought-out.”
That left Saskatchewan in a tough position. Either take part in a flawed program that would give some money to farmers, or not take part at all and see them receive less, Romanow said.
“By agreeing, finally, our farm community at least gets one whole complete dollar.”
Upshall said he tried to influence the federal government to ensure that the farmers who most needed aid would get it. But there was never any real interest in Ottawa to listen to Saskatchewan’s concerns.
“They simply got more and more difficult to deal with,” said Upshall.
Saskatchewan Party leader Elwin Hermanson, who watched the bearpit from the back of the hall, scoffed at Upshall’s remarks in an interview afterward. He said Saskatchewan was responsible for the bad program because it had not bothered to show the federal government how to make a good one.
“We weren’t at the table, we weren’t aggressive. And we’ve got a lousy product,” said Hermanson.
Romanow appealed to SARM delegates to work with other levels of government and farm industry players to build an industry that can survive the tempests of the global market.
“The answer has got to be co-operative involvement with the SARMs, the wheat pools, the federal government, the provincial government to fashion an agricultural economy that’s now worldwide,” said Romanow.
But a number of delegates attacked the Saskatchewan government for not doing its bit to support agriculture.
“Maybe we have to be a partnership, but the partnership is getting real cruel on this side,” said Don Heidt of the RM of Garden River.
Jim Markoski of the RM of Colonsay agreed.
“I don’t think you’re putting in your share to me.”
But dairy farm leader Leo Fuhr of the RM of Churchbridge defended Romanow and Upshall, calling on SARM delegates to do more than just attack any politicians in the room.
“I get so disgusted with how we treat each other in this whole assembly,” said Fuhr. “We fight, fight, fight.
“Let’s for God’s sake all work together . . . . Let’s talk about what we are going to do tomorrow. There is hope.”
