Wayne Easter moved, — That on January 22, 2007, the Minister of Agriculture & Agri-food released the following questions with respect to a barley plebiscite:
• The Canadian Wheat Board should retain the single desk for the marketing of barley into domestic human consumption and export markets.
• I would like the option to market my barley to the Canadian Wheat Board or any other domestic or foreign buyer.
• The Canadian Wheat Board should not have a role in the marketing of barley.
The second of the three questions implies that a "dual market" option is a viable alternative to the current monopoly role of the Canadian Wheat Board through its single desk selling feature.
On October 25, 2006, the Task Force appointed by the Minister of Agriculture & Agri-food released its report, "Marketing Choice - The Way Forward". At p. 10 of that report there is the following statement: "The latter term (dual marketing) implies to some that the existing marketing approach (a CWB with monopoly powers) could co-exist with an open market approach. This is not possible."
On January 22, 2007, the Minister of Agriculture confirmed that in order to assist "producers to make an informed decision" he had retained the services of three individuals, one of which is Dr. Murray Fulton of the University of Saskatchewan. The task of this group is to write a "short, objective description of each question" which will be provided to producers.
In November 2006, Dr. Fulton released a study entitled, "The Canadian Wheat Board in an Open Market: The Impact of Removing the single desk selling powers". On p. 11 of that study Dr. Fulton stated: "A dual marketing structure is not viable because of the incentives that are creasted as a consequence of the nature of the dual market. Interestingly, since a dual market is not viable, farmers will ultimately have no choice between marketing through a pool and marketing through the open market. Only the open market option will exist."
Therefore, given the fact that both the Minister's task force and Dr. Fulton, whom the Minister has retained to provide advice, concur on the lack of viability of the "dual market" option which is suggested as possible in the second of the three questions presented by the Minister:
this Committee recommends the following:
1. That the Minister of Agriculture & Agri-food immediately rescind the questions released on January 22, 2007 upon which barley producers in western Canada are expected to vote on their future relationship with the Canadian Wheat Board and;
2. Immediately implement the Sixth Report of the Standing Committee on Agriculture & Agri-food, by placing before wheat and barley producers of western Canada who have a relationship with the Canadian Wheat Board, the questions contained within that report.
Debate arose thereon.