The federal government still intends to bring in changes to the grain handling and transportation system in time for the new crop year Aug. 1, says Canadian Wheat Board minister Ralph Goodale.
But he said no formal proposal has yet been put forward to cabinet by transport minister David Collenette.
“Whether he would be in a position to do that within the next couple of weeks, I really can’t say,” Goodale said.
The designated spokesperson from Collenette’s office could not be reached for comment on the minister’s intentions.
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Goodale said the House of Commons timetable for February is already tight because of previously scheduled items and the federal budget.
“Nonetheless, we would still be very anxious to get this through the system before the House adjourns in June,” he said, adding the issue is contentious enough that “a fair bit of time” will be required to move it through the legislative process.
The government is considering how to respond to the Kroeger report, which recommended a deregulated, commercially driven system, along with an end to the Canadian Wheat Board’s role in transportation.
Everybody wants a system that is more efficient, lower cost, more accountable, and more competitive, he said. Whether that requires change to the board’s role is a crucial question.
“We’re wrestling with all of that right now,” he said, adding he believes those objectives can be accomplished without impairing the board essential marketing functions and mandate.
