Canada’s grain farmers welcome today’s emergency meeting of the House Agriculture Committee. The Committee must use this opportunity to demand action on rail service, including quick passage of Bill C-49.
“Now is not the time for partisan politics,” said Grain Growers of Canada (GGC) President, Jeff Nielsen. “Across Western Canada grain isn’t moving, and we need all parties to work together to get the railways to act. We need C-49 amended, and we need it passed into law to fix the systemic issues with grain transportation.”
While the proposed study is welcome, the focus must remain on getting grain moving. The initial steps taken by Government are a good first step, but the Committee needs to call on the Government to be clear that it will use all tools in its toolbox if service does improve dramatically.
“It is excellent to see that attention is being paid to the ongoing rail transportation crisis,” said GGC Vice President, Art Enns. “Parliamentarians must work together in the weeks ahead to do what is right. Getting Bill C-49 fixed and passed quickly is too important to middle-class farm families and the entire grain value chain for it to wait any longer.”
This meeting is an important opportunity for the members to come together and provide a united voice to the Senate that the Bill cannot be further delayed. The grain shipping industry has put forward several targeted amendments which will not hold up the passage of the Bill but will ensure that we can #moveourgrain and meet our export commitments far into the future.
Source : Grain Growers of Canada