Backlogs created by Conservatives

The letter “Trudeau failing shippers, farmers” (SP, April 30), submitted by the Conservative shadow ministers of Agriculture and Transport, is certainly worthy of another perspective.

I maintain that the problem of grain backlogs was created by the governing Conservatives when, without a clear mandate from the grain farmers, as evidenced by the 38,000 participating western farmers in a plebiscite where 62 per cent of wheat farmers voted in support of the Wheat Board’s monopoly on wheat sales followed by 51 per cent of barley producers with similar support. Stephen Harper chose to ignore the results of this plebiscite and forged ahead, eventually eliminating the Wheat Board with Bill C-18 in 2014.

The CWB had been doing an excellent job monitoring and coordinating the movement of grain via rail from farmers to port and overseas.

Before the CWB was sold to foreign investors, it owned well over 3,000 railway cars for grain shipment. In 201112, the CWB sold $4.9 billion to more than 70 countries.

The authors of the above named letter urge Marc Garneau to support shippers and farmers and pass Bill C-49 with amendments. Is there a likelihood that Garneau and the Liberals have little appetite to support a bill which supposedly will help ameliorate a problem which the then-ruling Conservatives created?

I think one should adhere to the wisdom contained in a maxim which states: it is too late to shut the barn door after the horses have bolted.

Doug Salen, Saskatoon