Ottawa is becoming steadily less friendly to agriculture, especially agriculture in the West.
Rather than starting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberals, let’s look at the opposition. With Andrew Scheer as the new leader of the Conservatives, you’d think agriculture would have some priority. After all, Scheer is from Saskatchewan.
However, so far he has failed to impress.
The official opposition critic for agriculture was Saskatchewan MP David Anderson, and while Anderson didn’t make a lot of headlines, he at least represents an agricultural riding in Saskatchewan. Scheer has taken the position away from Anderson and given it to Quebec MP Luc Berthold, who has no apparent connections to agriculture. Berthold’s occupation is listed as communications director, journalist, political attaché and trainer.
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The associate agriculture critic for the Conservatives is John Barlow, and while his occupation is listed as journalist, at least he represents the Foothills constituency of Alberta.
And what about the NDP? Can you name any of the individuals running to replace Tom Mulcair? Their agriculture critic is someone named Ruth Ellen Brosseau, another Quebec MP. Her occupation is listed as assistant manager, community activist and volunteer worker. Good luck having a deep conversation about agriculture policy with any of the critics.
By comparison, Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay actually looks pretty qualified. At least he used to be a farmer, a fact he wastes no time telling anyone who will listen.
In reality, MacAulay is a caretaker for the ministry. He exhibits no evidence of a plan or agenda. He makes soothing noises and has his picture taken as often as possible. Any direction on agriculture is coming from the bureaucracy or other ministries.
That direction includes a carbon tax that will hurt agriculture while doing little to reduce actual emissions and nothing to alter climate change. It also includes proposed tax rule changes that are an outright attack on small business corporations, particularly incorporated farms.
One wonders if MacAulay ever raises concerns with Trudeau or Finance Minister Bill Morneau.
To give credit where credit is due, Transport Minister Marc Garneau has listened to the reasoned arguments of the grain industry and appears to be on the right track (pardon the pun) with grain transportation legislation.
However, the highest profile agriculture issue is the North American Free Trade Agreement negotiations and the future of supply management, particularly the dairy sector. The Liberal government is sticking to the line that it will protect supply management. If it was a Conservative government in Ottawa, it would be saying the same thing.
The government and the opposition parties are worried about political fallout in Ontario and particularly Quebec if any substantial changes are made to supply management. They don’t exhibit the same concern about agriculture in the West.
Prairie farmers love to hate Liberal governments, but as Parliament resumes, it will be interesting to see how much importance the opposition parties place on agriculture.
