FARMERS DERAILED
Saskatchewan’s agricultural producers express ‘grave concern’ about CN strike
CN Rail workers picket on 1st Avenue North on Tuesday, among some 3,500 across the country who have gone on strike. The Saskatchewan government and farm groups are appealing for speedy action from Ottawa to keep the freight cars rolling.
As thousands of Canadian National Railway (CN) workers headed on strike Tuesday, farm groups called for swift federal action to keep Saskatchewan products moving to market.
Todd Lewis, president of the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan, expressed “grave concern” about the work stoppage. He warned about the impact that 3,200 striking conductors, trainspersons and yard workers will have on shipments of agricultural commodities.
“Prairie farmers do not get paid unless we can ship our products to port, ” Lewis said in a statement. “We have experienced a tremendously difficult production season on top of falling commodity prices due to trade issues in our major markets. Any additional factor which threatens our cash flow presents a grave risk to our operations.”
He called on Ottawa to “take immediate action to keep the railway operating.”
Rick White, CEO of the Canadian Canola Growers Association (CCGA), told the Leader-post that farmers can’t afford to wait. The Chinese blockade that began in March has prompted producers to hang onto canola for longer than usual. He said “a very significant amount of grain is yet to be hauled.”
“This has just gone from bad to worse for farmers,” he said. “We as farmers do not need this at this time. This is just unbearable for them economically.”
White said CN carries about half of the canola crop. He expects farmers to begin feeling a significant impact within about a week. He echoed Lewis’s call for speedy action from the federal government.
He said the CCGA has sent a letter calling on Parliament to convene and issue back-to-work legislation.
Harvey Brooks, general manager of Saskwheat, said he’s “very disappointed” by news of the strike. He said the wheat industry relies on CN to ship about half of its crop, the large majority of which has still not been delivered to customers.
Farmers have already faced “a terrible harvest experience” and don’t need shipment delays on top of it all, Brooks said.
According to the season’s final crop report, just 90 per cent of the crop was in the bin as of late October. That’s down from a 10-year average 95 per cent, with much of the delay owing to wet weather that kept farmers off the fields and also raised the prospect of crop downgrades.
Premier Scott Moe and his ministers joined the chorus calling for action from Ottawa. They sent a letter to federal Labour Minister Patty Hajdu and Transportation Minister Marc Garneau calling on them to act “as expeditiously as possible.”
They pointed out that the labour action could threaten shipments of potash and grain, as well as other
Saskatchewan commodities that rely on rail.
“In the event of a strike action, Saskatchewan asks that the federal government take immediate action to end the dispute so our industries will not be adversely affected by work stoppages,” said the letter, also signed by provincial Agriculture Minister David Marit and Minister of Energy and Resources Bronwyn Eyre.
Marit did not explain exactly what the province is looking for from Hajdu and Garneau, who may or may not remain in place after an expected cabinet shuffle on Wednesday. He simply called for them to “intervene” if the situation isn’t quickly resolved.
He said it “could mean” back-towork legislation, but stressed that he respects the bargaining process.
“It can’t go very long. It really can’t,” Marit said in a scrum with reporters. “I mean, as I said, we’re coming off one of our biggest harvests ever, with a fall that we’ve never seen before. This is a time when farmers are selling their product and moving it. We also have to really be concerned about our country’s reputation and delivering product to other countries. It’s been at stake before and it could be at risk again.”
Hajdu posted a statement on Tuesday expressing faith and support for the bargaining process, and calling for negotiations to continue. She said the federal government will monitor the situation.
“While we are concerned about the impact of a work stoppage on Canadians, we remain hopeful they will reach an agreement,” she said.