News Articles

May 22, 2008
The Western Producer
By Barry Wilson

Union says CGC cuts will hurt producers

The union representing most Canadian Grain Commission employees has accused the federal government of planning drastic cuts to programs that will hurt farmers, increase their costs and undermine food safety.

Agriculture minister Gerry Ritz described the union accusations as mischievous and one-sided.

Three former commissioners and assistant commissioners appointed by previous Liberal governments joined the Agriculture Union of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) in the criticisms - Albert Schatzke, Donna Welke and Bob Douglas.

Treasury Board projections for commission spending show a 46 percent drop to $28.8 million next year in spending on quality assurance, a 61 percent drop to $4.4 million for grain quality research and a 67 percent drop to $1.6 million for the producer protection program.

New Democrat MP Alex Atamanenko told Ritz at a House of Commons agriculture committee meeting May 15 that the allegations were disturbing.

The former CGC officials said the staff and funding cuts, perhaps being projected as a result of still-unapproved government legislation that would revamp grain commission rules and mandate, would raise farmer costs, reduce farmer power compared to grain companies and affect grain product safety.

"At a time when food safety is a top priority for Canadians, Bill C-39 is undermining the safety of Canadian grain products," former Saskatchewan assistant commissioner Donna Welke said in the union news release.

The legislation, which could be back for debate in the Commons as early as next week, would make many changes, including an end to mandatory inspection of grain shipped from inspected inland elevators to export or transfer elevators. The move could eliminate as many as 200 CGC jobs.

"The Agriculture Union calls on the government to withdraw this flawed legislation," union executive vice-president Bob Kingston said in the PSAC statement.

Ritz told the agriculture committee the union analysis was flawed. He said farmers support changes to the Canada Grain Act and the CGC.

"The vast majority of producers out there in Western Canada and across Ontario, where there's a bit of overview from the CGC, are asking for these changes. They've wanted them for quite some time."

As well, he said the figures for future funding included in Treasury Board projections do not take into account that with cost recovery fees frozen, the grain commission always receives mid-year money from the government to boost its budget.

Last week, supplementary estimates tabled in Parliament asked for approval of an unbudgeted $26.5 million for the commission in the current fiscal year.

Ritz said he didn't understand the charge that farmer costs will go up because of Bill C-39.

However, he also noted that if MPs approve the legislation in the Commons, it will come to committee for detailed examination.

"Amendments are possible if you see there's a better way, a better way to build a better mousetrap and producers decide that's the way they want to go," he said.

"Then that's what we'll put in the bill."

© The Western Producer

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