Federal agriculture minister Ralph Goodale says a re-elected Liberal government will move quickly to reform the Canadian Wheat Board along the lines promised by this Liberal government.
He also concedes he is not in a position to promise anything.
The next election could produce a new government or a new agriculture minister. It certainly will produce a different mix of MPs.
That means the new political structure in Ottawa may have different priorities about wheat board reform. At the least, the new Parliament will have to start the process of wheat board reform over again, since the present government’s two-year effort will die with the election call.
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In an interview last week, Goodale conceded the future for the wheat board reform initiative is unpredictable.
Groundwork laid
“There’s always the risk of unravelling, especially when an election intervenes,” he said. “But I think the groundwork that has been laid is strong and careful and I think it gives us a good foundation, whatever the configuration of the new Parliament or the new government or the new cabinet. It gives us a strong foundation to pick up the initiative very quickly and move on.”
For his part, Reform party agriculture spokesperson Elwin Hermanson said last week he thinks his party has planted the seeds for a more revolutionary reform of the wheat board than the Liberals contemplate.
“I think we have been successful in arguing the case for a voluntary board,” he said. “I think within five years, you’re going to see most of the major farm organizations calling for a voluntary board. That is how the industry is moving.”
He said he suspects the Liberals and Goodale did not want the wheat board reform bill approved because they realized it did not go far enough and would continue prairie divisions.
Goodale denied that, insisting he wanted the legislation approved but the government ran out of time.
Too little time
He suggested the opposition could have approved it if they had wanted. In fact, the government left little time for such complex and controversial legislation to be approved by Parliament.
“I’m very upset with Goodale for saying that the opposition obstructed the bill because that is not true,” Hermanson said. “That is crass politics of the worst kind.”
Goodale said prairie Liberals will campaign during the election on the promise that if re-elected, they will pass legislation to make the wheat board more accountable through a board of directors that is majority elected by farmers.
Last week, the Liberal government also agreed to a proposal from MP Wayne Easter that the legislation be changed to allow farmers to vote for broader wheat board jurisdiction over new grains, as well as for more limited jurisdiction by removing grains.
“I think that is a balanced way to go,” said Goodale.
The move was denounced as a power grab by groups opposed to the board monopoly, although any expansion of wheat board jurisdiction would have to be approved by a majority of affected producers.
