OTTAWA, February 26, 2016 – Chris Warkentin, Member of Parliament for Grande Prairie–Mackenzie and Official Opposition Critic for Agriculture and Agri-Food, called on the Liberal Government to quit stalling and take action on the report examining Canada’s rail transportation system.
This report was the culmination of an expedited review process driven by the previous Conservative government that sought, along with the Fair Rail for Grain Farmers Act, to address chronic backlogs that were stopping Canadian farmers from getting their product to market.
“What we saw a few years ago was simply unacceptable. Our farmers had recorded a record harvest and were left with no way to move their grain,” Warkentin said. “Our Party responded quickly and instituted this review so that our farm families could get their products to market in a timely fashion.”
“Farmers expect the government to take action and are now only being promised more meetings, more consultations, and more reports,” Warkentin continued. “This is an example of how the Liberals are simply out of touch with our agricultural sector.”
Warkentin advised that the federal government must come up with its plan for grain transportation before the Fair Rail for Grain Farmers Act expires in August. Grain transportation, Warkentin noted, has been an issue for decades, and continues to be a major issue for western Canadian farmers
For more information, please contact: David Hoekstra, Office of Chris Warkentin, M.P. main: (613) 992-0869 cell: (613) 291-7262