Prairie farmers are a disgruntled lot these days, and they want the federal government to step up to make things better.
That was the message a small gathering gave John Barlow, Shadow Ministerfor Agricultureand Agri-Food.
Barlow, who grew up in Yorkton, is the Conservative MP for the Foothills constituency in Alberta.
He said the problem in getting help from Ottawa at the present time lies with a lack of interest on the part of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
“I think he looks at the political landscape and doesn’t need a vote west of Manitoba,” Barlow told those gathered.
That said, Barlow was not suggesting there was an east – west rift in this country, but there is a disconnect out there.
“I don’t know if it’s east-west or urban-rural,” he said.
Again Barlow suggested the core issue lies with the Liberals and that party’s move left in its policies. He said the Liberal Party today is not the Liberal Party of former Prime Ministers Paul Martin and Jean Chretien.
The current Liberals seem intent on taking down the current oil-based energy sector, said Barlow adding “my worry; agriculture is next.”
One voice in the audience suggested the situation goes farther back than Trudeau.
“We’ve never had a fair shake here (the west) since Confederation,” he suggested.
But the current issues are many, according to both Barlow and those gathered. Among them is issues in recent years with rail transportation of grain to port, the current rail blockades which are again impeding grain movement, issues with China as a market for commodities, and the added costs farmers face from the federal carbon tax.
Barlow said the issues with grain movement in particularly hurt.
“You’ve done everything right but can’t get your crop to market,” he said.
One suggestion for help to farmers would be to move the AgriStability threshold from 75 per cent to 85 per cent to make more producers eligible.
Barlow said that has been discussed but provinces have balked at the additional $240 million share they would need to invest.
But, even at 85 per cent Barlow said the current AgriStability Program is overly complicated and many producers won’t go through the hoops required.
“Having a program is great, but if you can’t access them what’s the point?” asked Barlow. “... We need to find a program that actually works.”
With that as a goal Barlow said the Conservatives are undertaking an independent process of talking to industry experts and organizations in an attempt to build a better agriculture support program which could be party of the party’s platform in the next election.
“We’re going to do something on our own,” he said, adding as time changes so too do program needs, “... We have to evolve with those changes.”
Barlow said in listening to producers he knows “it’s beyond frustrating.”
Yorkton MP Cathay Wagantall added “all of the angst” producers feel is felt equally by frustrated Conservative MPs.
The inaction by the Liberals is costing Canada investment, said Barlow because there is a growing feeling outside of this country that there is political instability here. Canada is seen “as the country that can’t get things done, a country of ‘no’,” he said, adding that turns investors away.
Of course Barlow sees the solutions starting with a change in government in Ottawa, and it needs to happen sooner than later.
“It can’t be four years,” he said or the current Liberal mandate, adding he doesn’t expect the Liberals will hold on for a full term, predicting an election in two years.
