Mr. Speaker, the purpose of the emergency debate requested by the hon. member for Selkirk—Interlake is to put pressure on the government to force a return to work by the federal government blue collar workers responsible for loading grain at the port of Vancouver.
The 70 employees in question are members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, which is currently in conflict with the federal government in connection with the renewal of collective agreements.
The duties of these employees are performed within the framework of the Canada Grain Act, and the use of replacement workers is banned in such cases.
Up until March 14, the PSAC members were striking on a rotating basis and so the grain was still able to move.
This situation changed, however, when the grain export silo workers set up picket lines around the five Vancouver grain terminals on March 15. This led to the other terminal workers refusing to cross the picket line, so now the grain can no longer be loaded onto the ships. In other words, it can no longer be moved, hence the crisis we are faced with at the present time.
Quebec is involved little if at all in this local conflict between the Canadian Wheat Board and the Public Service Alliance of Canada. But we cannot be insensitive to the situation.
This strike results in major costs to western farmers who, like their Quebec and eastern counterparts, are going through a serious income crisis.
I could repeat what the previous speaker said, namely that it is a shame, given the quality of the grain and products that we market in this country, to have such low prices right now.
This strike results in huge financial losses to the Canadian Wheat Board, which said yesterday that it lost a $9 million contract and had to cancel several other ones, because it could not guarantee that the product would be available at the specified location and in the required amounts.
The reputation of the Canadian Wheat Board and, indirectly, that of western farmers suffer from that situation. In the case of export sales, grain quality is not questioned, but our ability to deliver the product with consistency is. The delivery date of our sales contracts must be respected; our customers demand reliability with regard to shipments.
During the recent trip made to Japan by the Minister of Agriculture, one of the primary requirements mentioned by the Japanese was the reliability of the shipments of wheat, barley and any other product exported to their country.
The situation of western farmers is so tragic that the Minister of Agriculture is introducing a special program to help them. Could it be that his Treasury Board colleague is less sensitive?
The current crisis in Vancouver and in western Canada in general might be less serious if Quebec, Ontario and the maritimes had their fair share in the grain transportation sector. Indeed, in his recent report based on a thorough review of the grain industry, justice Estey shows that Quebec, Ontario and the maritimes are discriminated against by the commission.
In this regard, the Estey report states, and I quote:
It is recommended that the federal government, in conjunction with the Seaway authority, work to encourage the utilization of the Seaway by two-way freight traffic into the North and South Atlantic region and the central regions of Canada and the United States. It is further recommended that the Board continue to make every effort to promote sales of Board grains to markets which can be economically served by the Seaway.
Diversifying means of transportation and routes lessens the risks of tension and crisis. People in Quebec, Ontario and eastern Canada would be more concerned about the grain issue if they had their share of the transportation market.
Back to work legislation should only be a last recourse. Have all the other options been exhausted? We believe they have not. Striking is a worker's fundamental right and back to work legislation would abolish this right.
Rather than demanding back to work legislation we must demand that the government negotiate in good faith. Freedom of association exists in principle in Canada and workers, when they have good reason to do so, may go on strike. This is part of a fair balance of power, except when the employer, which happens to be the government, abuses its legislative power. Again, back to work legislation should only be a last resort.
I was pleased to hear today that this was not necessarily the purpose of the debate which was rather aimed at highlighting the economic impact of the crisis, I would even say psychological impact since both workers and farmers are feeling the consequences.
In the opinion of our party, it is unacceptable for these workers to be deprived of their right to express dissent by this last resort solution of special legislation.
We are, therefore, opposed to special legislation and call upon the government to negotiate in good faith and as promptly as possible with its blue collar workers, who are on legal strike, taking into account the negative impact of the present situation, in which the farmers are once again the fall guys, the hostages of a lethargic government with little concern for the rights and interests of its citizens.
The negotiations must be carried to a conclusion, they must be continued, before any use of the last resort solution of special legislation. We all acknowledge that there is a crisis, and we therefore want to see an agreement to end this strike reached as quickly as possible.
