It is time to call the election, if for no other reason than to put at least a temporary end to the political foolishness now breaking out on Parliament Hill.
The facts in the following story are true.
The names have been preserved to expose the ridiculous.
A separatist Quebec MP last week attacked legislation to reform the Canadian Wheat Board as an affront to his province.
During a meeting of the House of Commons agriculture committee, Bloc QuŽbecois agriculture spokesperson Jean-Guy ChrŽtien complained about a clause which confirmed that wheat board control over wheat exports applies to all provinces.
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He said it was another federal attack on Quebec and provincial rights.
Arguments from Agriculture Canada officials that this merely confirms current powers cut no ice with the first-time MP and former small-town butcher who sees federal encroachment in almost every government pronouncement.
“I find this unacceptable that we use this bill to take advantage of Quebec,” he told the committee.
He demanded to know if the Quebec government had been consulted by Agriculture Canada before the clause was written to confirm that CWB jurisdiction over wheat and barley exports applies to all provinces.
His argument seemed to be that Quebec, which imports rather than exports grain, is being stifled in its ability to be the wheat breadbasket for the world. Clearly, this is another Ottawa attempt to hold back the province, which must become sovereign if it wants to grow.
It is the argument BQ MPs have made on most issues. Federal money sent to Quebec is denounced as: (a) not enough; or (b) an unholy power grab and attempt by Ottawa to interfere in the province.
Federal money not sent to Quebec is denounced as: (a) a denial of help, proving that federalism does not work; or (b) discrimination against Quebec.
Last week was the first time the Canadian Wheat Board was targeted as a federalist plot against the province, however.
Instead of laughing at him, Liberal MPs and federal officials tried to rationally answer the questions.
Jerry Pickard, parliamentary secretary to the agriculture minister, even said it is conceivable one of the government-appointed wheat board directors could be from Quebec, since a representative of eastern interests is expected to be on the board.
This seemed to encourage ChrŽtien.
He later proposed that the legislation be changed to guarantee Quebec three of the 15 wheat board directors’ positions.
That finally produced some guffaws from the Liberal side and the idea was defeated.
In an unrelated development, Alberta Reform MP Leon Benoit also complained that the wheat board legislation appears designed to deny Alberta the “right” to set up a provincial wheat board to export grain outside the wheat board.
Benoit has said in the past that Alberta farmers want the right to bypass the wheat board and Alberta should thus simply withdraw from CWB jurisdiction.
