The Canadian government stepped up its demands early this week that the United States federal government intervene to force a handful of Midwest states to stop harassing Canadian meat and grain at the border.
Agriculture minister Lyle Vanclief said late Sept. 21 he had asked U.S. agriculture secretary Dan Glickman to step into the fray.
Otherwise, Canada will invoke North American Free Trade Agreement rights to protest. It has no plans to retaliate outside trade agreement rules.
“It is my view that the next step is up to Washington,” Vanclief said in an interview from Ottawa. “Secretary Glickman called me last night. I told him we expect him to bring those people into line as quickly as possible.”
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Last week, one U.S. governor made good on his threat to stop Canadian meat and grain products as they entered his state.
And he was quickly followed by two others.
South Dakota governor Bill Janklow had been threatening to stop Canadian trucks and re-inspect them, in protest of what he claims are unfair trade restrictions on U.S. producers.
On Sept. 16, state troopers began carrying out Janklow’s orders.
They are asking drivers to prove livestock are free of certain diseases and drugs, and grain does not contain wild oats or karnal bunt. Trucks without proof are being turned back.
North Dakota also began inspections Sept. 16, detaining trucks at weigh stations but then allowing them to proceed.
By Sept. 21, Montana had joined the protest and stepped up inspection efforts.
“We in Montana are faced with a difficult issue,” said governor Marc Racicot. “On one hand, our commodities are subject to extensive Canadian quarantine import restrictions, while on the other hand, Canadian commodities are allowed to freely enter the United States by the federal government. It is critical that our federal officials address this disparity.”
Vanclief said there was a rumor that Idaho will join the protest as well. He complained the American governors were playing politics.
And he suggested the American federal government’s commitment to freer trade also was on the line. He planned to talk to Glickman for the fourth time in the week on Tuesday or Wednesday.
“If he doesn’t make these governors live up to agreements the U.S. has signed, I will be very disappointed and have some serious questions about how serious they are.”
Trucks were being turned back from South Dakota, but it was not known how many.
Jim Soyer, a spokesperson for Janklow’s office, said seven trucks were turned back the first day. After that, he said there was so much publicity that trucks were bypassing the state. But that doesn’t mean the plan has failed, he said.
“(Janklow) thinks it’s successful because it’s calling attention to the trade problems that need to be addressed,” Soyer said.
There was no word at press time when Janklow might call a halt to the inspections. Montana’s Racicot said he would evaluate the situation Sept. 25 and make a decision.
Meanwhile, industry and government leaders in Canada called for a swift end to what they call unacceptable trade action.
Saskatchewan Wheat Pool vice-president Marvin Shauf said the grain company will continue to push Canadian ministers to work through this trade action.
Saskatchewan premier Roy Romanow said he would be calling the governors and urging them to stop.
“I’m no American constitutional expert,” he told reporters, “but I know for sure that the governors of South Dakota and North Dakota and Montana do not have control over international trade. That’s Congress.”
His agriculture minister, Eric Upshall, said Janklow would be held responsible for losses Saskatchewan producers suffered.
“We are looking into the available legal avenues for recovering those losses,” he said.
Manitoba’s Keystone Agricultural Producers said South Dakota’s action is an election year tactic.
“Unfortunately, Canadian farmers are caught in the middle,” said president Don Dewar.
