The Honourable Vic Toews, Regional Minister for Manitoba and Member of Parliament for Provencher, expressed support for legislation tabled by Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz which will give western Canadian wheat and barley farmers the freedom to market their grain, while simultaneously providing support to the Port of Churchill as it continues to play an important role for farmers and for the North.
“As a Manitoban, I recognize both the economic potential that lies ahead through the creation of an open grain market that will attract investment, encourage innovation and create value-added jobs, as well as the importance of maintaining the Port of Churchill as an important option for farmers shipping their grain to market,” said Toews. “This legislation will provide Western Canadian grain farmers with the same freedom to market their own grain that is presently enjoyed by their counterparts in Ontario and other regions of Canada.”
The legislation tabled today will remove the monopoly of the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) and return to farmers the right to market their wheat and barley in the best interest of their individual farms and businesses, either by selling on an open market or through a voluntary CWB.
The legislation will allow an interim CWB to act as a voluntary marketing entity, supported by the Government, as it works to transition to full private ownership as soon as possible.
“I am pleased with our Government’s ongoing commitment to farmers and the Port of Churchill as a shipping option,” said Toews. “While there will be an inevitable period of adjustment for the Port of Churchill when this legislation is passed, we will continue to work with the Port, the provincial government and other stakeholders to explore initiatives to develop and diversify the Port as an important northern shipping gateway.”
Once the Act becomes law, the Government will provide an economic incentive of up to $5 million per year over the five year transition period to support shipments of grain, including oilseeds, pulses and special crops through the Port. It will also provide support through funding of up to $4.1 million over three years to maintain the Port during the transition period. In addition, the deadline for completion of Port infrastructure improvements funded through an agreement between Western Economic Diversification and the Churchill Gateway Development Corporation will be extended by two years, to 2015.
These investments are in addition to commitments made by Transport Canada during 2010 to implement important upgrades to the Churchill Airport, as well as strategic investments in the rail line made by the Governments of Canada and Manitoba since 2007. Additional information can be found at www.agr.gc.ca/freedom.
