After the federal election call, this newspaper opined on its editorial page that agriculture could for once be a major topic in the campaign.
As subsequent weeks unfolded, we were starting to think that was a bit optimistic.
However, federal agriculture minister Gerry Ritz has insured that agriculture is an issue in this 40th general election, albeit through unusual means.
Ritz quipped during a conference call amid the listeriosis outbreak, traced to processed meats from Maple Leaf Foods, that his government was undergoing death by a thousand cuts, “or should I say cold cuts.”
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In the same call, speaking to news that a listeriosis-related death had occurred in Prince Edward Island, Ritz responded, “please tell me it’s Wayne Easter.” It was a reference to Liberal agriculture critic and PEI MP Wayne Easter, Ritz’s political adversary.
As a result of these remarks and their wide and general airing, agriculture, or at least the agriculture minister, has been hot news in election coverage in the national media.
Agriculture is always a hot election topic in the pages of The Western Producer. This newspaper sees its role as ensuring readers know the parties’ plans, platforms and stances on agricultural issues. We’ll keep on doing that.
But Ritz’s remarks have overshadowed substantive reporting and debate elsewhere on the real agricultural issues of the day; issues beyond whether the ag minister has blurted out any off-the-cuff remarks.
Ritz is a known quipster, which is probably one reason for his popularity in his home riding of Battlefords-Lloydminster. No one has suggested that Ritz made the comment out of malice. Black humour is a common reaction to dire circumstances and Ritz employed it.
It’s more a question of judgment, particularly from a cabinet minister and particularly during a federal election.
But Ritz is known for his straight-ahead style. Whether people agree or disagree with him, they are seldom in doubt of where he stands. If someone is short, Ritz won’t call him “vertically challenged.” If a person is a liar, Ritz won’t accuse him of “terminological inexactitude.” And if someone is drunk, he won’t refer to them as “overly refreshed.”
Last week, the death of football great Ron Lancaster pushed Ritz’s faux pas off the front pages of Saskatchewan newspapers. Rightly so, given Lancaster’s stellar contributions to the Saskatchewan Roughriders and to the Canadian Football League.
If Ritz was in any way relieved by this brief shift in the media spotlight, let us hope he didn’t say so in public.
