Proudly supporting the fair rail for grain farmers act

Celebrated the passage of Bill C- 30, the Fair Rail for Grain Farmers Act as it passed through the House of Commons.

This legislation will: Increase supply chain transparency, strengthen contracts between producers and shippers; and help ensure the entire grain handling and transportation system is working at the top of its capacity.

This Bill will amend the Canada Grain Act to permit the regulation of mandatory grain contract provisions, including those providing for financial consequences for contractual breaches, and the arbitration of disputes respecting those provisions.

This Bill will also amend the Canadian Transportation Act. Under the new provisions the Governor in Council, on the advice of the Minister of Agriculture, will be able to impose fines of up to 100,000 dollars per day on Canadian Pacific and Canadian National rail should they fail to move a minimum amount of grain.

This Bill will allow for the making of regulations to extend interswitching limits from 30 kilometres to 160 kilometres in Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, providing shippers with more rail transportation options.

Sat for countless hours in extended meetings at the Agriculture Committee, and was able to ask questions of CP and CN officials that were present to testify on the Bill. He asked some tough questions to ensure that the railways understood the urgent necessity for their complete cooperation.

“I was able to support the Fair Rail for Grain Farmers act, both at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Committee, as well as in the House of Commons Chamber, voting in favour of the Bill. It is a privilege to continue to fight for the concerns of the farmers of Medicine Hat Constituency in the Parliament of Canada”.

For more information please contact the Ottawa Office.