Ralph Eichler, deputy PC agriculture critic

 

 

The provincial PCs are disappointed with the NDP again failing to recognize the opportunities in the agriculture industry in yesterday's speech from the throne.

"They failed them once again. They talk about drainage and that's all they did. They don't have a long term plan," says Ralph Eichler, deputy agriculture critic. "We have freeze-up coming and we've never had more water in the Interlake and Westlake areas than we have now and quite frankly, it's too late."

He notes there was no mention of the challenges facing flooded cattle producers. "The minister promised them an answer by the end of August...but quite frankly they were led to believe that the minister would have an answer by the end of August. Unfortunately, those answers haven't come and a number of producers have had to exit the industry because of that."

Meanwhile, Peter George Dyck, MLA for Pembina, says the potential insurance programs announced in the throne speech would be largely funded by producers. "They were talking about all the supports that are out there. Really if you look at it, those are premiums paid by producers, or cases where federal government has stepped in. Very little has been done by the province of Manitoba," says Dyck.

~ Wednesday, November 17, 2010 ~