Saskatchewan and Manitoba agriculture ministers stormed out of a federal-provincial ministers meeting last week, complaining that Ottawa and the other provinces were ganging up on them to limit the amount of farm aid money available.
Both also suggested their governments might not take part in what is supposed to be a new two-year, national $1.7 billion farm income disaster program being negotiated this winter.
Federal officials insisted that unless opting-out provinces develop Ottawa-approved provincial programs to distribute their required 40 percent of the cost, they would not get the federal portion of the funds.
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Saskatchewan minister Dwain Lingenfelter said he would be surprised if the federal government withheld from prairie farmers aid that flows to farmers elsewhere.
Federal minister Lyle Vanclief responded with a blunt warning: “I have authority from cabinet to negotiate a 60-40 (federal-provincial cost share). I have no authority to deal with provinces which are not participating with the 40 percent.”
A federal official later said Ottawa would be prepared to negotiate with an opted-out province over what program design is necessary to trigger the federal funds.
“But it is true we have to have cost-sharing and we will decide whether an opt-out program is equivalent and in line with national objectives,” he said.
“It is a tough warning from the minister to try to encourage provinces to join the program.”
At stake is approximately $100 million in federal funds per year in 2000 and 2001 for Saskatchewan farmers and $30 million a year for Manitoba.
It was the latest development in an increasingly bitter dispute between the federal Liberal government and the two NDP prairie governments over farm aid.
Lingenfelter said the federal government fails to understand the desperate need for more farm aid on the Prairies “and is being mean-spirited.”
He blamed prime minister Jean ChrŽtien and finance minister Paul Martin, rather than Vanclief: “I think Mr. Vanclief is fighting and has made a strong pitch in cabinet.”
The two ministers stormed out midway through the federal-provincial meeting after giving media a half hour notice. Some reporters were tipped off to the possibility shortly after the morning meeting started.
In the dark
As Wowchuk and Lingenfelter emerged, aides distributed a joint statement that the ministers were “frustrated by the federal government’s lack of understanding of the crisis facing Saskatchewan and Manitoba farm families.”
Critics from some of the other governments murmured privately about “political theatre” and a “pre-planned walkout,” suggesting the statement had been written before the meeting.
Both ministers denied they had decided before they went into the meeting that they would walk out.
“Absolutely not,” said Lingenfelter. “We came here with the intent to ask that trade equalization be on the table, that money be there. We also asked that the (safety net distribution) formula change not take place (in a way) that would take money out of Saskatchewan and Manitoba.”
He said the prairie ministers expected the other ministers to change their minds and agree.
“When we didn’t (win agreement), there was little sense in of staying in the room and continuing to torment the other ministers from across Canada who simply for whatever reason refuse to recognize the net farm income drop in our two provinces.”
