Saskatchewan premier Roy Romanow is taking his own action to end American trade restrictions on Canadian products.
Last week, the premier issued an invitation to South Dakota governor Bill Janklow to travel to Saskatchewan and discuss the issue.
Janklow set off the trade dispute when he ordered state officials to inspect trucks carrying Canadian meat and grain into his state, beginning Sept. 16. Truckers who can’t prove their livestock is free of six particular drugs or that their grain does not contain karnal bunt or wild oats are being turned back.
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North Dakota and Montana have stepped up their inspection process, although they were still allowing trucks to proceed earlier this week.
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On Sept. 26, Wyoming announced it would begin similar inspections, and Idaho announced it would take similar action beginning Sept. 29.
Romanow said Saskatchewan producers are suffering real damage when trucks are turned back from South Dakota.
“I am committed to doing everything possible to protect the interests of our producers and shippers, and bring this situation to a successful and speedy conclusion,” he said.
Romanow wrote to prime minister Jean ChrŽtien urging him to communicate the concerns of producers to the United States. Saskatchewan also:
- Hired American legal counsel “to assess the possible legal and trade remedies available to Saskatchewan and its producers.”
- Directed the provincial justice, intergovernmental affairs and agriculture departments to co-ordinate with their federal counterparts a strategy to protect producers.
- Established a toll-free phone line, 800-842-0979, that producers and shippers can use to tell the agriculture department what effect the trade restrictions are having on them.
In Manitoba, premier Gary Filmon has written to Janklow to express his concerns.
Industry, trade and tourism minister Jim Downey said the government has received a considerable number of calls from shippers worried about the impact on prices.
Downey said Filmon has also spoken to North Dakota governor Ed Schafer and was assured that state “would not be as problematic” as South Dakota.
Ron Glen, executive assistant to Alberta agriculture minister Ed Stelmach, said the province has been communicating directly with Montana.
He said there has been little trouble reported by Alberta shippers and the inspections are being done “in a very cordial manner.”
Premier Ralph Klein has written to Janklow, asking him to work more co-operatively with farm groups and his federal government to solve the real problems, Glen said.
