WHEN Canadian Alliance members of Parliament raised the issue of the Alberta drought during Question Period earlier this week, they finally touched on an issue dear to the grassroots of Western Canada.
The political party has not ignored agriculture completely, thanks to committee meetings and a few questions in the House of Commons, but it has become so self-absorbed in internal bickering over leadership that it rarely brings other issues to prominence.
As a result, the geographical region of Canada that depends most heavily on the Alliance to represent it in Ottawa has been ignored as its representatives devote time and energy to debate Stockwell Day’s leadership.
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Praying for rain is being replaced with the hope that rain can stop for harvest. Rainfall in July and early August has been much greater than normal.
Welcome rain fell in parts of Alberta earlier this week, but there is no relief in sight for Alliance party problems. Even if the party can hold out until next April’s convention, it may take another year to crown a new leader.
On Monday, the national media reported Compas poll results of an Alliance popularity tumble to only 10 percent nationally, behind the Tories (15 percent) and Bloc Quebecois (12 percent). The Liberals reign with 53 percent of popular support.
Only six months ago, during the last federal election, the Alliance had more than 25 percent of the popular vote in the country. Western Canada embraced the party, giving it 64 out of 88 available seats. Sixty-four of Alliance’s 66 seats are west of Ontario.
Farmers cheered in November as Day promised to help farmers.
“We need to be there for family farms at times of disaster. We need to be there,” he said.
The Alliance promised to support safety net programs, fight international subsidies, cut federal fuel taxes, reduce input costs and protect supply management.
Meanwhile, parts of the Prairies are suffering in drought, international subsidies continue to distort markets, fuel prices are at record high levels, operating costs are 11.5 percent over the five-year average and supply management continues to be targeted for the next round of world trade talks.
Statistics Canada announced last week that while the livestock sector is healthy, crop receipts are at a six-year low.
In the last two months, the Alliance has spent its greatest amount of energy on its promise to end the Canadian Wheat Board’s monopoly on exports, a course that may spell greater disaster for farmers.
Farmers need the help that was promised; the help they voted to get.
Six months ago, the Alliance had little credibility outside Western Canada.
If internal squabbles among Alliance MPs continue to deflect attention and energy from their jobs of helping farmers, the party will no longer have credibility with the grassroots – no matter who leads it.
