Federal agriculture minister Gerry Ritz says he is determined to end the Canadian Wheat Board monopolies on export and malting barley by
Aug. 1, even though it is growing more likely that legislation to make that possible will not be approved by Parliament before mid-summer recess.
Ritz said May 7 that he is pressing the CWB to offer a barley sales pilot project by summer that would allow an option outside the monopoly.
He said his message to prairie barley producers remains the same as it was when he tabled legislation in early March to give cabinet the right to change the monopoly rule by regulation, something courts have said the current Canadian Wheat Board Act does not allow.
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“I look them (farmers) right in the eye and tell them that I intend to get barley out by August the first of 2008 and there’s more than one way to skin a cat,” Ritz said.
He meant that legislative change is not the only way to circumvent the monopoly.
“I’m in discussions with the board, with the new president and CEO, with the new chairman and with other board members and saying it is up to them,” said Ritz. “They’ve come forward with some pilot projects on different commodities. I’m asking them to take a look at doing the same on barley.”
Wheat board officials could not be reached before deadline for comment on whether bringing in a barley pilot project outside the monopoly before Aug. 1 is being considered.
New president Ian White was scheduled to appear before the House of Commons agriculture committee May 13 to answer questions on his intentions.
Meanwhile, the Conservative government has not called for debate Bill C-46, amendments to the CWB Act, since its early March introduction. Opposition MPs have vowed to do what they can to delay, amend or block the bill.
Without the support of one opposition party, the minority Conservatives could not get legislation through Parliament.
Last week, after placing the bill for several weeks as a low priority item for Commons debate, Conservative House leader Peter Van Loan withdrew the bill as a possibility for debate in the near future.
That makes it virtually impossible that government wheat board legislation amendments will make it through the House of Commons and the Senate in the three weeks left before summer adjournment.
It will require CWB collaboration to ensure Ritz is not exaggerating when he promises barley farmers marketing choice by Aug. 1.
In the interview, the agriculture minister blamed opposition parties for obstructing passage of the CWB bill through the House, even though it has not been called for debate by the government more than 10 weeks after it was introduced.
Ritz said opposition MPs are using delaying tactics to tie up House time in an effort to thwart government business.
“We give a list of bills and they talk one out or they filibuster a certain piece to get it so that we don’t get our agenda out that day and it just keeps shrinking further and further,” he said. “And if that’s their agenda, they will pay the price at the next election.”
