“The key here is that this hoist motion actually kills the bill before it even has a chance to make it to committee.” – PIERRE LEMIEUX Opposition parties employed a rarely used parliamentary tactic to effectively kill the federal government’s proposed legislation amending the Canada Grain Act last week. Just as the government was preparing
Grain Act Bill Dead Or Delayed
What Is A “Hoist Motion?”
A “hoist” motion is an amendment dating back to the 18th century British Parliament that postpones a bill’s second reading for three months or six months, according to the Compendium of Parliamentary Procedure. “It was subsequently agreed that the adoption of such an amendment by the House was tantamount to the rejection of the bill,
Wheat Moving Out Ahead Of Red River Flood
Good progress has been made getting wheat out of the areas expected to be flooded by the rising Red River here and south to the border. “We probably have two-thirds to three-quarters of it in now and we’re fairly confident the bulk of it will be off-farm before the flood waters hit,” Canadian Wheat Board
Arborg Trying To Save Its Elevator
“Anybody I’ve talked to is very upset (about the prospect of losing the elevator). In fact, the words are as harsh as ‘it’s criminal.’” – BILL URUSKI Scott Sigvaldason isn’t prepared to let Arborg’s grain elevator be destroyed without a fight. The Arborg-area grain farmer and president of Wedge Farms Nutrition, an oat-processing firm, says
Record-Breaking Year For Canadian Canola In 2008
“The trick is going to be to produce it year after year so that it will average 15 million tonnes.” – JOANNE BUTH 2 008 was a dream year for Canada’s Cinderella crop with records falling all over the place. Farmers harvested a record canola crop, with near-record oil content, after planting a record number
Monsanto Supports Research
“As far as we’re concerned this will be public money for public good.” – TED CROSBIE Monsanto will spend $10 million over five years through an international scholars program to educate and train new public sector scientists whose mission is to boost wheat and rice yields. The Borlaug-Beachell International Scholars Program is named after Norman
Farmers Urged To Keep Grain Coming
For once the stars have aligned in favour of farmers. Wheat exports from Canada are moving at a blistering pace while prices remain relatively strong. Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) grain movement since October has been well above the five-and 10-year average and could be the biggest since 1999-2000. The only potential fly in the ointment
Oversold Biotech Hurts Plant Breeders
“Breeding has been hijacked by biotech’s bio-bulls–t.” – BRIAN ROSSNAGEL Misplaced hype over biotechnology is making it harder to garner research dollars for good, old-fashioned plant breeding, a plant breeder with the University of Saskatchewan’s Crop Development Centre says. “Breeding has been hijacked by biotech’s bio-bulls–t,” Brian Rossnagel told the Prairie Grain Development Committee’s annual
CGC Security Remains Until There Are Replacements: Ritz
“We’re not removing (CGC security) holusbolus. We’ll only do it in light of something better being offered for producers.” – AGRICULTURE MINISTER GERRY RITZ Farmers nervous about losing the Canadian Grain Commission’s (CGC) security program that protects against payment defaults on delivered grain can rest easier knowing it will remain until there are replacements. That’s
Ports Of Churchill, Halifax Working Together
A new agreement between the ports of Churchill and Halifax creates another option for exporting grain from the Prairies. Ever since Churchill started exporting grain in the 1930s, almost all of it sailed directly to the importing country. Now Churchill and Halifax will explore transshipments, with grain from Manitoba’s only seaport delivered to the terminal