Western Producer staff
Is Ralph Goodale in line for a new job? Rumors were swirling in Ottawa last week that the agriculture minister will be involved in a major cabinet shuffle expected within weeks.
It is not the first speculation that Goodale could find himself with new duties when prime minister Jean ChrŽtien rejigs his cabinet at the halfway point in the government’s mandate.
In many ways, the idea makes sense from the government’s point of view.
After two years in the job, Goodale has tackled many of the major agricultural issues the Liberal government wanted handled in its first term. Those still simmering could just as well be handled by someone else, probably someone from Ontario, which seems to be the province least happy with Goodale’s performance.
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Mind you, most of the major issues Goodale has handled actually were initiated by other ministers. In many ways, he has played the role of policy manager, keeping the government out of trouble on files that had real potential to cause political problems.
Consider just a partial list of the agricultural hot potatoes that have occupied government attention since 1993:
Transport minister Doug Young decided to end government grain transportation subsidies. Goodale presided over the demise.
Finance minister Paul Martin imposed on Agriculture Canada, as on all departments, sharp budget cuts last winter with more to come. Goodale presided over development of a plan to cut the department down to Liberal size.
Trade minister Roy Maclaren led the government’s free-trade campaign, committing Canada to new world and regional trade-liberalizing rules. Goodale has promoted the benefits and opportunities he sees for the food industry.
What is left to do? Goodale has launched a review of the Canadian Wheat Board amid some political pressure for change. Some decisions will have to be made, likely next year. A national safety-net deal must be worked out.
The agriculture minister will have to be ready with policy proposals to help maintain supply-managed sectors industry if the Americans win their trade challenge against Canada’s tariff wall next spring.
The effort to develop new pesticide registration rules remains unfinished, although much of the work on this file has been done by Goodale’s parliamentary understudy, Ontario MP Lyle Vanclief.
If there is a change, Vanclief might be in line for the job.
So where would Goodale go?
Transport is one possibility, perhaps with Goodale keeping responsibility for the Canadian Wheat Board. It is a key portfolio for the Prairies and with CP moving west, CN going private, the Seaway facing overhaul and new transportation legislation about to descend, there would be enough hot issues to keep even a workhorse like Goodale busy.
What about justice? Goodale is a lawyer, after all, and one of the most contentious issues facing the government in the two years leading up to the next election will be winning rural compliance, if not enthusiasm, for new gun-control legislation. It would be the ultimate test of Goodale’s political skills.
