NEWS RELEASE

May 12, 2000                                                                                                            For Immediate Release

GRAIN TRANSPORTATION ANNOUNCEMENT IS MORE EMPTY PROMISES

"Instead of actual legislation, the best the Liberals could do is a news conference"

Yorkton - "Totally inadequate and frustrating", is how Garry Breitkreuz, MP for Yorkton - Melville and Official Opposition Agriculture Critic, describes Wednesday's announcement by the government to change the grain transportation system. "We are still waiting for this government to actually make productive changes to the grain handling system. The announcement is nothing more than empty promises because there is no legislation to go along with their plans. Until this government moves to a commercial and contract driven system, farmers will continue to suffer at the hands of an inefficient government regulated system," declared Breitkreuz.

The government's general outline for grain transportation reform was supposed to be based on the two separate studies by Justice Willard Estey and Arthur Kroeger. "The Liberals handpicked these two individuals and spent millions of taxpayers dollars to look at the grain handling system. Both individuals have recommended commercialization of the system, but instead of acting on those recommendations, the government continues to be more concerned about keeping control over farmers. If the Liberals were serious about grain transportation reform, we would have seen legislation months ago," stated Breitkreuz.

$300 million is the estimated amount farmers could save in a commercial system. "The Liberals know the benefits of a competitive grain handling system, yet they will not introduce legislation to give those benefits to farmers. Media events, such as the one staged on Wednesday, are not going to help farmers. Concrete legislation is what is needed," Breitkreuz demanded.

While details of the proposed reforms are still sketchy, Breitkreuz is concerned about the Canadian Wheat Board's continued role in the transportation system. "If the government thinks having the CWB tender 25% of its contracts at port will save farmers money, would a 100% tendering system not save farmers more money?" questioned Breitkreuz. "It also appears that the government does not want to enact any changes to the CWB in legislation. Instead, they are going to use a memorandum of understanding. This is isn't good enough and offers no protection for farmers. We don't need more talk. We need clear accountability and three-way contracts don't provide that," stated Breitkreuz.

"I will support a commercial and competitive grain handling system enacted through legislation. Until that happens, all we can assume is that this government is stalling and does not want to create a grain handling system that benefits Canadian farmers. We have been talking for years - when will farmers get some action?" questioned Breitkreuz.

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