The federal Conservative government signaled Oct. 16 that it plans to try to end the Canadian Wheat Board barley monopoly in the new session of Parliament.
“Our government will recognize the views of farmers, as expressed in the recent plebiscite on barley, by enacting marketing choice,” governor-general Michaëlle Jean said as she read the throne speech launching the second session of the 39th Parliament.
Since the speech typically lays out general directions for the government’s parliamentary agenda rather than precise plans, there was no indication of whether the Conservatives will introduce Canadian Wheat Board Act amendments to try to get them through Parliament.
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Opposition Liberals and New Democrats have vowed to fight any legislative attempt to undermine the board monopoly.
In a minority Parliament, the votes of Bloc Québécois MPs would be decisive.
However, with speculation that the government could be defeated in a throne speech vote, the government may never get a chance to unveil its strategy. An Oct. 22 vote on a proposed Liberal amendment to the throne speech is expected to be pivotal in determining whether this session of Parliament continues into the winter.
If the government falls, the throne speech promise would become an election promise.
Meanwhile, the Western Barley Growers Association reacted enthusiastically.
“Clearly, this government has the commitment to provide barley producers marketing choice,” association president Jeff Nielsen said in a statement issued late Oct. 16.
“With that, they have the full support of barley farmers to do what is needed.”
The wheat board commitment was just part of what the government promised for agriculture.
It said farmers will benefit from the government’s commitment to promoting biofuel and its determination to introduce a new farm policy framework now tied up in negotiations with the provinces.
“Together with our government’s strong support for Canada’s supply-managed system, these approaches will deliver stable, predictable and bankable support for farm families,” said the throne speech, written by the government and delivered in the ornate Senate chamber on Parliament Hill.
The government also promised broad tax cuts, including another percentage point cut in the GST, a package of crime bills, investment in infrastructure across the country and as a gesture to Québec, legislation to limit the federal ability to invest in areas of provincial policy jurisdiction.
And on the day that elected Alberta senator Bert Brown took his seat for the first time, the government promised to reintroduce Senate reform bills that would limit terms and allow for nonbinding Senate elections in provinces where there are vacancies.
