OTTAWA – For the first time in its history, United Grain Growers has a permanent presence in Ottawa.
The Winnipeg-based grain company has hired a part-time “government liaison officer” to be what company president Ted Allen calls “our eyes and ears.”
He said in a May 18 interview that UGG has been “blind-sided” in the past by some government policy announcements that were not expected.
“We just didn’t feel we had a good enough handle on what is going on down there,” he said. “We have to be on top of it. Government and regulation is such an important part of our industry.”
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Diana Kerr has been hired to monitor government and Parliament and report back to Winnipeg.
She last worked on Parliament Hill a decade ago in a similar position for the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association.
UGG will not rent office space. Kerr will work out of her home.
With an Ottawa presence, UGG follows the lead of Prairie Pools Inc. which established an Ottawa office more than a decade ago.
Keeping an ear to the ground
Allen said it is important that the company and its members know what is happening in Ottawa.
To date, contact with the government of the day has come mainly on occasional lobby trips to the capital or through UGG’s role in organized “consultations” with government.
He said those consultations are increasingly suspect because many Prairie farmers have become independent thinkers who do not feel represented by any of the established groups invited to the table.
“I think there is a sea change happening in farmers’ thinking in Western Canada … that a lot of politicians are blissfully unaware of,” said Allen.
He suggested governments should tap into farmers’ opinions through more polling and by listening more closely to what farmer constituents are saying.
For example, while polls show the majority of farmers want a vote on barley marketing, the government has done nothing, he said.
“Either they are not listening or they are not listening to the right people,” said Allen.
Policy changes unknown
He said the company decision to establish an Ottawa listening-post does not necessarily mean he believes the new Liberal government is intent on making a lot of policy changes.
“There have been a lot of words and promises,” he said.
“But I’ll judge them by their actions and I haven’t really seen anything yet. Talk is cheap and so far, that’s all we’ve had from this government.”
