Online consultation regarding Sask-atchewan farmland ownership laws has begun, but some are questioning the method of obtaining input.
Both the opposition New Democrats and the Progressive Conservatives, who don’t have a seat in the legislature, say public meetings should be held on such an important topic.
Agriculture minister Lyle Stewart said online surveys and mailed submissions will be accepted until Aug. 10. He will also meet with specific stakeholders, such as agricultural organizations and lenders, by invitation only.
However, he said public meetings will not be held.
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“We’re hopeful that at the end of the day we’ll have a large number of submissions either online or in writing and that there will be sufficient opinion, one way or the other, expressed that we’ll be able to use to guide government.”
He said few people are heard at public meetings.
Agriculture critic Cathy Sproule disagreed. She said the online process is not transparent and people won’t know how the results will be processed and released.
She said the NDP will likely organize its own public meetings, but added summer isn’t the best time to do that.
“I’ve seen lots of respectful and thoughtful public meetings. It’s a way of getting information that’s, I think, time honoured, and I just find it weird that this minister is avoiding them,” she said.
PC leader Rick Swenson suggested the government is afraid to face constituents on this topic.
“Without pubic meetings, no one will have a chance to hear the opinions of others, allowing the government to come to conclusions that will suit themselves, rather than what is best for the backbone of this province, the farming community,” he said in a statement.
Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities president Ray Orb said farmland ownership is on the agenda for the organization’s district meetings in June.
SARM is not in favour of organizations such as the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board buying land. The pension plan purchase of 115,000 acres started the current controversy.
“We’re generally in favour of our farmers buying farmland,” Orb said.
“If farmers come in from other provinces, those are the kinds of things we want to see here.”
The province’s survey can be found at www.saskatchewan.ca/farmland.
People can also pick up paper copies of the information and survey at regional agriculture offices or by phoning 866-457-2377.
