Agriculture minister Lyle Vanclief slammed the door last week on any idea that the federal government may come to the aid of cash-strapped farmers this year.
Canada already has a good system of safety net programs in place, he told New Democrat questioner Dick Proctor in the House of Commons.
“We do not have to consider and will not consider ad hoc programs that the Americans are now considering.”
Vanclief’s assertion came during a politically tense week:
- The United States administration and Congress are reported to be near a deal to send more than $5 billion out to American farmers this year because they are suffering the effects of the same low commodity prices that affect Canadians.
- Opposition MPs in the Commons increased their pressure on the government to design a disaster relief program to help farmers.
- Canadian Federation of Agriculture president Jack Wilkinson appeared on Parliament Hill to plead with MPs on the finance committee to recommend that Ottawa send more money to the farm community.
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Meanwhile, despite Vanclief’s arguments against a 1998 aid package, officials in his department have been working on details of a proposed national farm disaster program. The first draft is expected to be presented in mid-October to a meeting of the national farm safety nets advisory committee.
