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A list of news releases issued by the Agriculture Union in the current year, beginning with the most recent, are listed below. Click on the title to read the entire text.
2008 News Releases
(February 6, 2008)
(February 1, 2008)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 14, 2008
Grain Commission funding cuts mean higher producer costs:
Safety and quality threatened
Ottawa – Conservative government plans to drastically reduce Canadian Grain Commission spending will hurt grain producers and Canada's international reputation for quality, according to three former senior officials of the federal agency and the Agriculture Union which represents employees of the CGC.
A new government spending forecast released this morning comes to light a day before Agriculture Minister Ritz is scheduled to testify on his department's spending before the Commons Agriculture Committee.
A spending forecast published by the federal government shows Grain Commission producer protection programs will be slashed by 67% while grain quality programs will be reduced by almost half and research programs will be cut by 60%.
“As Ottawa's contribution goes down, producer costs will rise,” said Albert Schatzke, a former Commissioner of the Canadian Grain Commission.
The spending forecast is in line with a Conservative government legislative proposal – Bill C-39 – which would gut the Grain Commission's inspection, weighing and independent oversight that ensures producers are treated fairly.
The Canadian Grain Commission protects producers by ensuring their grain shipments are accurately weighed and graded so growers are properly paid. The Commission's independent arbitration process levels the playing field between individual producers and the powerful grain companies they must deal with when disputes arise.
“These cuts will undermine grain producers in their dealings with grain companies, which have never been more powerful. Canada's reputation for top quality grain will be hurt too. You can't protect producers and make these cuts at the same time,” said Bob Douglas.
These Commission activities would be eliminated by Bill C-39, against the unanimous advice of the all-party Commons Agriculture Committee which recently completed a study on the future of the Grain Commission.
Product safety is another important role of the Canadian Grain Commission.
Inward inspections conducted by the CGC before grain gets into the terminal elevator system identify dangerous contaminants like mercury and fungi such as ergot and fusarium -- bio hazards that are extremely dangerous to human health. Inward inspections also offer early warning alerts of the presence of glass, metal shavings, rocks and other safety hazards in grain shipments arriving at terminal elevators, as well as bug infestations. C-39 would kill inward inspection services by the Grain Commission.
“At a time when food safety is a top priority for Canadians, Bill C-39 is undermining the safety of Canadian grain products,” said Donna Welke.
“The Agriculture Union calls on the Government to withdraw this flawed legislation. Minister Ritz should also instruct the Canadian Grain Commission to, at the very least, maintain the level of service it now provides to producers,” concluded Bob Kingston, Executive Vice-President of the Agriculture Union (PSAC).
Albert Schatzke was Commissioner of the Canadian Grain Commission (1997-2006); Donna Welke is the former Assistant Commissioner from Saskatchewan (1994 - 2006), Bob Douglas is the former Assistant Commissioner from Manitoba (2000 – 2006).
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 25, 2008
Campaign launched against Conservative Bill
that will cost Thunder Bay one hundred jobs
Thunder Bay - Local Canadian Grain Commission workers and their supporters are launching a campaign to stop legislation that will gut the Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) and cost the Thunder Bay area one hundred jobs.
The campaign is aimed principally at local Conservative MP, Joe Comuzzi, who has been silent on the issue in spite of repeated invitations to join with others to stand up for our community.
At issue is the elimination of inspection and weighing services and regulatory oversight of grain shipments proposed in Bill C-39 which is currently before the House of Commons. If Bill C-39 becomes law, Thunder Bay will take a significant economic hit and grain producers, consumers and the grain sector as a whole will face a serious threat.
The end to “inward” inspection and weighing and the elimination of the CGC’s bonding program will put producers at a disadvantage when dealing with grain companies. Grain Commission inspection also serves to grade grains and identify and eliminate dangerous contaminants or bio hazards from the supply. Without these inspections both human health and Canada’s international reputation as a high quality producer will be at risk.
Despite repeated requests, workers whose jobs are in jeopardy have yet to meet with local Conservative Member of Parliament Joe Comuzzi. In a letter to Comuzzi on March 3rd, Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) regional representative Judith Monteith – Farrell wrote, “As you know, these changes will result in the loss of 90 to 100 high paying jobs in Thunder Bay. The negative impact of this loss will ripple through our local economy with serious consequences. I am taking the unusual step of hand-delivering this letter to your constituency office out of a sense of frustration. ”
In a subsequent meeting with Mr. Comuzzi’s assistant, the workers were told that their Member of Parliament would not be available for at least another two and one half weeks.
“If the loss of one hundred jobs and a direct threat to the grains trade which represents three quarters of the total shipments through the Port of Thunder Bay doesn’t qualify for the attention of a local MP, I can’t imagine what would,” said Don Beese, President of local 30 of the Agriculture Union - PSAC.
“The Union is asking the people of Thunder Bay to join us in demanding that Mr. Comuzzi stand up to his own government’s attempt to gut the Canadian Grain Commission,” added Beese.
A campaign website launched today at grainaction.ca will direct messages from the public to Mr. Comuzzi and the Conservative Government.
Bill C-39 will also deal a major blow to the Canadian grain economy as a whole. Experts expect that if C-39 becomes law it will undermine the Canadian Wheat Board and help to shift the flow of grain away from east-west, with Thunder Bay and its port in a key role, to a north-south trade pattern.
When it introduced Bill C-39, the Conservative Government ignored the unanimous advice of an all-party House of Commons Committee which called for further analysis and study before proceeding with any changes to the Canadian Grain Commission.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 25, 2008
Community to call for action with one hundred Thunder Bay jobs on the line
Thunder Bay - Representatives of the one hundred Thunder Bay area Canadian Grain Commission employees who stand to lose their jobs if new federal legislation is enacted will be joined by political and community representatives to launch a campaign to stand up for Thunder Bay.
When: Wednesday, March 26th at 9.30 AM
Where: PSAC office, Suite 109, 1205 Amber Drive
Legislation currently before parliament Bill C-39 will cripple the Canadian Grain Commission by eliminating “inward” weighing and inspection and other services in Thunder Bay and communities across Canada.
Bill C-39 poses a triple threat to Canada’s important grain sector. Reduced services and bonding will hit grain producers hard; a dramatic reduction in grain inspection will increase the risk of contaminants or bio hazards and will undermine Canada’s international reputation as a quality producer.
The Conservative Government introduced Bill C-39 despite the unanimous advice of an all-party House of Commons Committee which called for further analysis and study before proceeding with any changes to the Canadian Grain Commission.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 12, 2008
New Grain Commission chief tells Parliament where to go!
Ottawa – Former Reform MP Elwin Hermanson who was appointed chief commissioner of the Canadian Grain Commission only weeks ago is advocating in favour of a controversial bill that has never been endorsed by Parliament.
Hermanson authored a strongly worded opinion article in favour of amendments to the Canada Grain Act in Bill C-39 which was published in the February 7th edition of The Western Producer. Mr. Hermanson declares in his opinion article: “As chief commissioner of the CGC, I strongly support this legislation… .”
The bill would gut or kill several services and regulatory oversight activities of the Canadian Grain Commission, leaving producers newly disadvantaged in their dealings with grain companies and undermining the quality and food safety assurance programs Canada’s international reputation for excellence are built upon.
C-39 has not cleared second reading debate in the Commons and many MPs report having serious reservations about it.
“Normally, senior public servants implement legislation or policy rather than telling Parliament what the law should be,” said Bob Kingston, Executive Vice-President of the Agriculture Union – PSAC, which represents most people who work at the Commission.
Kingston added: “Mr. Hermanson has set a new low for double standards given that the Commission recently threatened employees with disciplinary action if they criticize the government over the bill he is promoting.”
On December 21st, the Canadian Grain Commission issued a memo to employees forbidding them to publicly criticize Bill C-39, the government’s proposal to cripple the Commission. The memo from Diane Shapiro, Director of Human Resources threatens Canadian Grain Commission employees with possible disciplinary action if they criticize the government.
Mr. Hermanson’s 5 year patronage appointment to head the Canadian Grain Commission is effective January 21st. Hermanson was a Reform Party MP from 1993 to 1997 and leader of the conservative Saskatchewan Party from 1998 to 2004. Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz has close political ties to Mr. Hermanson, serving as his campaign manager during the 1993 election and constituency assistant thereafter.
“It seems clear Mr. Hermanson has his own agenda and it may well be different than Parliament’s,” Kingston said.
The Agriculture Union – PSAC represents 9500 people who work at Agriculture Canada, the Canadian Grain Commission, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, and other workplaces.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 6, 2008
Retract Grain Commission Gag Order
Ottawa – Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz should retract a gag order which threatens Canadian Grain Commission employees who speak out against his government’s legislative proposal to gut the Commission, according to the Agriculture Union – PSAC which represents the employees.
On December 21st, the Canadian Grain Commission issued a memo to employees forbidding them to publicly criticize Bill C-39, the government’s proposal to cripple the Commission.
“We hope the Minister will disassociate himself from the Commission’s intimidation and assure employees they are free to express their opinion,” said Bob Kingston, National Vice-President of the Agriculture Union – PSAC.
The memo from Diane Shapiro, Director of Human Resources threatens Canadian Grain Commission employees with possible disciplinary action if they criticize the government.
“With the government’s recent track record of firing and silencing its critics, we are concerned that our members will feel threatened in the extreme by this gag order. We urge the Minister to direct the Commission to retract this effort to silence Commission employees,” Kingston said.
The full text of the Canadian Grain Commission’s gag order follows:
Question:
As a CGC employee what can I tell my MP about my response to C-39?
Answer:
You are free to convey your views to your Member of Parliament, so long as you do not publicly criticize the Government of Canada or otherwise bring into question your ability to perform your employment duties and carry out government policy and programs in an impartial manner.
Question:
As a CGC employee can I become involved in public campaigns to amend C-39, such as letters to the editor or other letter writing campaigns?
Answer:
The Supreme Court of Canada has acknowledged that while public servants have constitutionally protected right to freedom of expression, this freedom has limits. The Supreme Court and other courts have identified that a public servant has a legal duty of loyalty to the employer, and must not engage in public criticism of the employer where that criticism could create an impression that the employee may not be able to perform their duties, and carry out government policy and programs, in an impartial manner.
For example, if you identify yourself as a CGC employee in a letter to the editor that criticizes government policy relating to the CGC, you could create a perception that your views of government policy are not impartial and that you may not be able to follow or apply government policy in an impartial manner.
We would like to remind you that inappropriate behaviour by employees on web sites, blogs, and public fora (newspapers and meetings etc.) could result in administrative and/or disciplinary action.
The Values and Ethics Code for the Public Service <http://www.psagency-agencefp.gc.ca/veo-bve/vec-cve/vec-cve_e.asp> sets out the standard of behaviour expected of CGC employees. We count on each of you to refer to these codes to assist you in making ethical decisions. We encourage you to consult your manager should you need further clarification and guidance.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 1, 2008
Withdraw Conservative bill that threatens
Canadian grain producers and valuable exports
Ottawa – The federal government should withdraw amendments to the Grain Act in Bill C-39 because it will hurt grain producers and it ignores the unanimous advice from an all-party Commons committee, according to the Agriculture Union-PSAC.
The Conservative government’s proposed legislation will gut the Canadian Grain Commission (CGC), the independent body that provides essential services to grain producers. Bill C-39 will be debated for the first time in Parliament today.
The legislation ignores the recommendation of an all–party committee by immediately and aggressively cutting the CGC’s regulatory responsibilities and services. After extensive study, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Agriculture recommended that the Commission receive increased funding to ensure that the essential services it offers to grain producers can be sustained.
“Instead of heeding the advice of politicians from all parties, the Conservative government is putting the future of farmers and of all Canadians who benefit from the grain trade at risk. This bill should be withdrawn and fixed before it is debated in Parliament,” said Bob Kingston, Executive Vice President of Agricultural Union - PSAC.
Bill C-39 will eliminate mandatory weighing and inspection by the Grain Commission which ensures that grains of different quality can be segregated, to protect higher grades from being diluted by lower quality grain. Farmers of high quality product stand to lose the premium paid by international buyers and Canada’s reputation as a producer of highest quality grain will be threatened.
Once this “quality incentive” to ship Canadian grain separate from American grain is lost, Canadian grain will be shipped overland, mixed with the lower quality American product and shipped through US ports threatening the Canadian transportation network, ports and other sectors that thrive on grain exports.
C-39 also ends the Commission’s key role in determining payments to farmers and protecting them from financial harm in the event of grain buyer bankruptcy or refusal to pay.
“This government appears to be willing to put one of our country’s most important export sectors at risk” said Patty Ducharme, Executive Vice-President of the Public Service Alliance of Canada. “While we are concerned about the impact on our members who provide important services at the Canadian Grain Commission – more than 200 stand to lose their jobs, the long term damage C-39 will do to grain producers and Canada’s international reputation is a far greater threat to the future of our members and all Canadians.”
The Agriculture Union is over 9,000 members from coast-to-coast-to coast who share one common goal: to serve and protect the public interest. The Union represents most of the people who work at the Canadian Grain Commission. Our members are front-line defenders of public health, supporters of sustainable agriculture and guardians of a secure food chain.
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