MPs will face a heavy agenda of agricultural issues when they resume their seats on Parliament Hill Jan. 28.
“There will be lots on our plate, no doubt about that,” said Liberal agriculture critic Wayne Easter.
“My first request to the committee will be that we bring in the leadership from hog and cattle sectors to see if the government response to their crisis has been adequate. Then we move on from there.”
New Democratic Party agriculture critic Alex Atamanenko said the livestock meltdown will also be one of his priorities.
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“I’m not satisfied 100 percent that livestock producers are getting a good deal or adequate help,” he said.
From the governing Conservative side, the early priority will be legislation that was before the House of Commons when MPs left in mid-December for their Christmas break.
Canada Transportation Act amendments to strengthen shipper rights in disputes with railways are close to final Commons approval. They will then go to the Senate.
Canada Grain Act amendments to reform many of the rules that govern Canadian Grain Commission actions will be debated, although an early election would almost certainly kill bill C-39 before it could be approved by both Commons and Senate.
Easter said that even if the bill receives Commons approval-in-principle at second reading, it will not quickly pass through committee study.
“We will need hearings across the country, based on the messages my office has been getting about this bill.”
The Canadian Wheat Board issue will also be prominent.
The day after Parliament resumes, agriculture minister Gerry Ritz is summoning wheat board officials to meet with malting companies, grain handlers and barley producers and face their demands for an end to the malting barley and export sales monopoly.
Almost a month later, the monopoly issue will be in an appeals court at the government’s request and by then, the new president and chief executive officer of the CWB will have been announced.
“Clearly, the wheat board issue and the Conservative assault on farmer marketing power will continue to be an issue,” Easter said.
“They must be held accountable.”
He said the issue of food safety and food sovereignty will also be on the agenda, particularly in light of a mid-December announcement by prime minister Stephen Harper that the government was launching a new food safety strategy. Since then, the issue has sunk from view and other than a promise to hold consultations with the industry this year, there has been no explanation of what is being promised.
“Spinning off the prime minister’s statement are all kinds of questions about what he meant and what he is doing,” Easter said.
“Can they assure us that a cabbage from wherever is as safe as a cabbage grown in Canada? If not, why is it allowed on a Canadian grocery shelf?”
Easter said he also wants MPs to look at whether the surge in grain and oilseed prices is allowing input suppliers to crank up prices that will remain to haunt the industry once prices and revenues fall.
“We need to see if this price boom is being used as a cover by input sellers to take advantage of farmers who have money to spend and to allow excessive profit taking.”
Atamanenko said he plans to continue voicing his opposition to genetically modified crops and his support for farm environmental programs.
