MP weighs in on grain backlog

Conservative Shadow Ministers for Agriculture and Agri-Food Luc Berthold and John Barlow, with the support of MP Arnold Viersen and NDP Agriculture Critic Alistair MacGregor are calling on the Standing Committee of Agriculture and Agri-food to hold an emergency meeting March 19 to address what many in the industry are calling the worst grain backlog in years.

Four years ago, then Transport Minister Lisa Raitt and Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz announced measures taken by the Harper government to address a similar issue, instituting a non-compliance penalty of $100,000 per day on railway companies that did not meet the minimum volumes of grain that both the Canadian National Railway Company (CN) and the Canadian Pacific Railway Company (CP) were required to meet per week.

In a press release issued March 1, Berthold said that when grain doesn’t move, farmers don’t get paid, noting the early warning signs were there and ignored.

“Because of Conservatives and agriculture stakeholder’s advocacy, we have seen positive steps forward from CN and the FCC to offer options for farmers facing cash flow issues. However, we are calling on the Minister of Transport and Agriculture to implement an Order in Council (OIC) to address this issue and get our grain moving,”

The delays amount to millions of dollars in losses for producers and Conservatives warn the issue is eroding Canada’s reputation as a reliable trading partner.

“We need the ministers of transportation and agriculture to stand up at the cabinets table and make this an immediate priority for the government,” Viersen said, adding an OIC is able to implement proven measures to correct the backlog.

In addition, Barrhead-Morinville-Westlock MLA Glenn van Dijken, Shadow Minister for Transportation, said he was working with both CN and CP to address the issue.

“I have met with CP Rail and they assure us the grain will get to port. They [CP] have not faced as many difficulties as CN,” van Dijken said, noting he has requested a meeting with CN and hopes to have more information soon.

Local MP Arnold Viersen says the Environment Minister is ignoring Northern Albertans.

Viersen made his comment in Question Period after he questioned why Minister of Environment and Climate Change Catherine McKenna had time to meet with anti-development groups while ignoring groups like Northwest Species at Risk Committee and the Alberta Forest Alliance.

“One of the biggest issues facing northern Albertans is the proposed Caribou Range Plan that is being forced on their communities without their consultation. We all know the Government of Alberta is using the federal Species At Risk Act (SARA) to restrict development in Northern Alberta,” Viersen said, adding McKenna has a responsibility to meet with the communities most impacted, not just Toronto-based lobbying groups.

For her part, McKenna responded by pointing to the billions of taxpayer dollars she says the Liberal government has dedicated to creating new protected areas.