FOR the farm community and federal agriculture minister Lyle Vanclief,
Paul Martin’s surprise resignation/ouster from federal cabinet June 2
could hardly have happened at a worse time.
It has thrown a wrench into federal plans for a farm aid decision this
week and federal-provincial hopes for some late-June agreements, with
dollars attached.
Vanclief and his officials had spent weeks preparing to take a farm
policy package to cabinet June 4. He hoped for quick cabinet approval,
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including a significant increase in base safety net funding and a
“bridge” financial package.
Late June 3, the agriculture minister found out that his proposals
would not be considered at the first post-Martin cabinet meeting June 4.
Time pressures on Vanclief are intense.
The federal minister has promised provincial agriculture ministers he
would tell them in early June how much Ottawa will put up to fund
agricultural programs. It would give them a chance to go to their
cabinets for a commitment of their share of the bill.
All that was supposed to culminate when federal and provincial
ministers meet in Halifax June 27-28 ready to talk both money and
detail.
Now, it appears unlikely Vanclief can keep his part of the bargain
before mid-June, if then. It will leave the provinces little time to
respond.
Part of the timing problem is that Vanclief leaves the country for more
than a week, departing for Iran June 6 and then leading Canada’s
delegation to the United Nations world food summit in Rome June 9-12.
It means he will miss a chance to take the package to cabinet next
week. Even if it is debated in his absence, announcement of a decision
could not be made before he returns. When the package does get to
cabinet, Martin’s departure complicates the issue.
As finance minister for almost nine years, Martin was well acquainted
with the recent history of the farm economy, including the damage done
both by foreign subsidies and his 1995 decision to cut more than $1
billion in farm supports.
He also was well aware of the current issue, had been briefed on the
farm income situation and took part by telephone in the May 21 meeting
with prairie premiers and farm leaders in Saskatoon on the effects of
drought and the U.S. farm bill.
Martin was considered sympathetic to improved farm supports. He did use
his last budget to pledge increased funding for a new long-term
agricultural plan.
New finance minister John Manley is far less of a known quantity who
has kept his agricultural policy views, if any, largely to himself.
The former Ottawa tax lawyer has left little record of agricultural
initiatives during nine years as industry minister, foreign affairs
minister and most recently, deputy prime minister. He retains the title
of deputy prime minister.
He is known as a fiscal conservative.
One Liberal caucus member conceded that the change of ministers is a
setback, although he argued the farm aid file is so far advanced “it
cannot be derailed.”
But farmers have a job to do, he said. “The farm community is going to
have to bring Manley up to speed on farm issues and how serious they
are.”
