Ralph Goodale

[International Trade, December 15th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, the United States is proposing to take certain actions effective January 1 with respect to the importation of products containing sugar into the United States.

As the hon. member knows, Canada takes strong exception to the position being taken by the United States. We have made those representations abundantly clear at the officials level in dealing with the U.S. department of agriculture, the U.S. trade representatives office and the White House.

Representations by Canada to the United States continue to be made. In the past 24 hours the Minister for International Trade has been in touch with his U.S. counterpart to make the Canadian position abundantly clear. We will continue to pursue that position in the best interest of all Canadians, including those in the province of Quebec.

[Bankruptcy Act, December 7th, 1994]

Madam Speaker, the hon. member's interest in and concern for the Canadian Wheat Board is noted and appreciated. I am pleased to have this opportunity to respond to his remarks in greater detail than I would be able to do during the course of Question Period.

The member makes reference to the most recent election of the Canadian Wheat Board's producer advisory committee and the proper interpretation to be placed upon the results of that election. The committee consists of 11 members. In the most recent election results 10 of those 11 members were identified very much as pro-board candidates who opposed any weakening of the Canadian Wheat Board, opposed the concept of dual marketing.

While this election was not a direct plebiscite about marketing systems, and while the overall producer participation in the voting was only about 40 per cent, I think it is fair to say that the vote results show an important level of producer support for the Canadian Wheat Board. I do not think it would be fair to say that the vote is the be all and end all. I do not think it would be fair to say it is the absolute last and ultimate word. It is one very important piece of evidence which is clearly supportive of the Canadian Wheat Board.

Over the course of the last year or so a controversy has been brewing among western Canadian farmers about the Canadian Wheat Board and this notion of alternative marketing systems. It is a subject upon which different groups of farmers hold profoundly different opinions. So far there has not been a rational, full, frank, objective opportunity for farmers to discuss all of those alternatives and to have a face to face analysis of the situation in a frank and logical way.

That is why I plan to carry through on a commitment that I have made to provide farmers and all interested stakeholders with that full, objective, logical, rational forum and mechanism within which to examine the alternatives, have all of those alternatives subjected to examination and cross-examination so there can be that full analysis with the full participation of the farmers. I am confident that in that process the Canadian Wheat Board will do very well.

[Canada Grain Act, December 6th, 1994]

moved that the bill be concurred in.

[Canadian Wheat Board, December 6th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, the short answer to the hon. gentleman's question is no because I have no information before me at the present time that would justify any of his allegations.

[Canadian Wheat Board, December 6th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, it seems to me not unusual that a commissioner of the Canadian Wheat Board would from time to time defend the policies and practices of the Canadian Wheat Board. That seems to be quite logical in the ordinary course of events of being a commissioner of the wheat board.

If the hon. gentleman has any specific allegation that he would care to make with respect to any kind of impropriety on behalf of any particular individual or commissioner associated with the Canadian Wheat Board, I suggest that he should bring that allegation forward specifically and not engage in these broad based innuendos.

[Canadian Wheat Board, December 5th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I have already indicated on a number of occasions that I will be providing the opportunity this winter for farmers to become engaged in a discussion about the marketing systems that they regard to be most appropriate and in their interest.

In the course of that kind of objective, reasonable, rationale dialogue, the respective merits of certain marketing systems will become obvious. I would imagine under the close scrutiny that public dialogue and examination gives, the Canadian Wheat Board will be able to demonstrate its merits very effectively.

[Canadian Wheat Board, December 5th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, to the best of my knowledge the chief commissioner and a number of the commissioners of the Canadian Wheat Board participated in public meetings during the fall. They discussed a broad variety of aspects pertaining to the marketing of western Canadian grain. To the best of my knowledge they were not actively involved in any campaign with respect to the election of the advisory committee to the Canadian Wheat Board. If the hon. member has any information to the contrary I would be happy to have it.

[Grain Transportation, November 18th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. gentleman in asking the question is overlooking the impact of the soon to be implemented General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade and particularly the new World Trade Organization which brings to bear some important disciplines in the world on the use of export subsidies.

We will insist that other countries around the world adhere to their obligations under the new GATT. That will mean for example that countries like the United States will for the first time in a long time have to bring down some of its export subsidies such as the export enhancement program.

While we expect every other country in the world to abide by their obligations, Canada must abide by those same obligations. Within the terms of the new GATT agreement a portion of the Western Grain Transportation Act is defined as an export subsidy. In those circumstances we can do one of two things. We can either change the Western Grain Transportation Act so it no longer falls within the definition of an export subsidy or we can leave it the way it is and live within those new highly restrictive disciplines.

Obviously it is to the advantage of western farmers to change the Western Grain Transportation Act rather than suffer the tough disciplines under the new World Trade Organization.

[Agriculture, November 18th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, as usual in the rather simplistic approach of the Reform Party its members are missing a very fundamental point.

It is important to make intelligent, thoughtful decisions after everyone, in a fully democratic manner, has had an opportunity to discuss the matter and state their points of view, rather than pre-empting all of the discussion and simply opting for a proposal put forward by a political party that has already made up its mind, in the form of the Reform Party. It does not represent the majority of western Canadian farmers.

[Agriculture, November 18th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I point out to the hon. member that it was a previous Liberal government that provided the first electoral process with respect to the Canadian Wheat Board, that is the election of the advisory committee.

As far as future changes that might take place within the corporate government structure is concerned, it is a subject on which farmers will be having discussions this winter. I will be very interested to hear the varying points of view from farmers on that particular approach to corporate governance.

One of the technical matters that the hon. member should bear in mind concerning the difference between the Canadian Wheat Board and the Ontario Wheat Producers Marketing Board is that under the Canadian Wheat Board system we have the provision under federal legislation for government financial guarantees concerning initial payments. That obviously is a substantial financial distinction between the operations of the two boards and indicates why in some circumstances the methods of corporate governance might well be different.