CCGA Encourages Election Discussion

With the federal election this fall, the Canadian Canola Growers Association (CCGA) encourages producers to get talking to local federal candidates. On their website, the CCGA has outlined three areas of important discussion around the canola industry and the election.

 

CCGA president Brett Halstead says the purpose in creating the list of concerns is to get the conversation started, as there hasn't been much discussion on agriculture in terms of party platforms yet.

 

"I think it's just [about] getting producers engaged with these candidates, so these candidates when they do get elected and go to Ottawa, hopefully they have a little better understanding about some of the issues on the farm," he says," because if they don't have an understanding about it, how are we as producers or producers organizations supposed to have them speaking in favour of what producers need?"

 

He says producers can use the three areas listed on their website as talking points for discussion with candidates.

 

 

Exports account for 90 per cent of the canola produced in Canada, generating billions of dollars. Halstead says not only that, but the canola industry also provides jobs for Canadians, for example, at crush plants.

 

"Having access to various different markets throughout the world at low or no tariff rates is very important for the canola industry," Halstead says. "We think it's important that producers make sure their candidates understand how important trade is to agriculture, and canola in particular."

 

 

The CCGA says in order for the current rail system to improve, it needs to be more transparent, meet commercial demand in a timely way, and allow shippers the ability to have service-level agreements and reciprocal penalties.

 

"Currently, the railways are the ones with the hammer right now, and the shippers don't have any or very little say, and no ability to have reciprocal penalties if the railways don't provide suitable and adequate service," says Halstead.