Action Needed to Protect Food Security
By Jean-Paul McDonald
Farms.com
The Canadian Wheat Growers Association is pressing Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan to take decisive action in the face of looming strikes on Canada's railways.
Daryl Fransoo, the association's chair, emphasized the urgency for the minister to mediate between the union and railway companies to prevent disruptions.
In recent weeks, the association has twice reached out to Minister O’Regan and the Canadian Industrial Relations Board, highlighting the strike's potential impact on agriculture, grain exports, and the national economy. Unfortunately, there has been no response from the minister.
The possible strike by Teamsters Canada Rail Conference members at Canadian Pacific Kansas City Railway and Canadian National Railway poses a significant threat.
It risks delaying the transport of essential items like fertilizers and grains during the critical growing season and at harvest. Such disruptions could severely affect Canadian farmers' livelihoods, the country's food security, and its reputation as a reliable global supplier.
Fransoo has expressed the farming community's growing anxiety and vows to continue advocating for government intervention.
The association aims to ensure that policymakers understand the grave implications of the strike on agriculture and the wider food supply chain. The call for action is urgent as the strike could have far-reaching effects not just on farming, but on the entire nation.